Teen Titans Dawn
by Newbie52
Summary: The dawn is coming. With the rise of a new threat from an old nemesis, the Teen Titans find that some threats are too big even for them. To face the dangers, both old and new, the Titans must form a new team. A team that could decide the fate of our world. This story continues the Teen Titans legacy. Rated K for cartoon action and suspense.
1. Episode I: Titans Dusk

The calm day in Jump City came to an end. The sun was setting. The once bright day began its transformation into a night illuminated only by colors of black and orange that could be seen beneath the dark clouds that began to descend.

…

Inside Titans Tower, home of now legendary young heroes, alarms began to sound. All the rooms in the T-shaped tower were illuminated in black and red lights that blinked on and off with each blare.

The Tower and its rooms were empty. For its inhabitants had already left, moving fast across the water toward the city that resided under a now completely cloud-covered sky.

…

Slade, dressed as always in his commando suit and orange and black mask, strode to the edge of the rooftop.

From the tallest building in the city, he looked down upon two of his creations presiding on the rooftops below; large, black globe-shaped machines that rested upon an equally dark rectangular base. The control consoles attached to the devices had many button and lights, but no clear identifying symbols or features regarding its use or purpose.

Lightning struck and Slade looked into the sky. His visible eye narrowed as lightning struck again. Far away, on a distant rooftop, he saw five silhouettes.

Slade nodded to himself. _It seems the time has finally come._

The large man slowly backed up into the shadows as his commandos fanned out onto the surrounding buildings.

…

The thunderstorm was loud, drowning out almost all sound. What sound could be heard was only audible between the loud bursts of thunder that occurred following the bright flashes of white lightning.

The commandos aimed their blasters at the five silhouettes.

Lightning flashed again and the silhouettes were gone.

The commandos didn't move.

Thunder rumbled again followed by silence.

The group of commandos on one of the roofs nearest to the unidentified intruders turned, forming a circle.

As lightning flashed again, only two words could be heard over the storm.

"Titans, go!"

Two yellow and black discs descended from above, exploding and engulfing the commandos in smoke.

The commandos turned, looking around for further threats.

A silver staff flew from the smoke, swiping the legs out from under two of the nine commandos and sending them to the ground face-first. Two more commandos went down a second later. The other commandos formed a circle and fired their blasters as the smoke began to clear.

With a whoosh, the commando's adversary flipped to the outside of the circle, swiping at the robots. The staff knocked aside one of the blasters, causing it's shot to go into a nearby commando.

As the commando with the blaster turned, the staff swiped once again, aiming the blaster over the commando's shoulder as the weapon went off, causing yet another robot to go down. The commando holding the blaster barely had time to process what happened before the staff brought it to the ground as well.

The remaining two commandos raised their weapons at the young man holding the silver staff. The young man's free hand flashed and two red birdarangs flew forward and sliced the blasters in half before the young man jumped and kicked out with both legs, sending the commandos off the roof.

…

With a small spin of his weapon, Robin retracted the staff and looked around him at the surrounding buildings. "Slade!" he called.

…

On an adjoining rooftop, more of Slade's robotic commandos looked at the young leader of the Teen Titans on the roof below.

In unison, they raised their blasters and aimed downward.

Lightning flashed again and the commandos turned toward the cry of a bird.

Far above, a green hawk began to descend. The lightning flashed again and the bird turned into a green and black striped tiger.

The tiger roared, tackling a commando to the ground before transforming into a large T-Rex that began to spin its tail, clearing the roof within seconds.

…

Beast Boy resumed his human form and looked around. "Huh… That was easy."

Suddenly, the commandos jumped through the windows of surrounding buildings and landed on Beast Boy's roof, leveling their weapons.

Beast Boy let out a small, surprised squeal.

The commandos started to pull the triggers on their collective blasters.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The shots were blocked by a shield of black magic.

Seconds later, the black barrier shifted and wrapped itself around the surrounding rain for a moment before funneling and shooting the contained liquid outward in a jet of water that blew everyone, including Beast Boy, over the roof's edge.

Beast Boy quickly turned into an octopus, using his tentacles to latch onto the side of the building and pull himself back up.

Beast Boy resumed his human form and shook his head. "Dude! That was close!"

"Your welcome," Raven said dryly as she slowly lowered herself from the air and onto the roof.

Before Beast Boy could reply, a set of laser blasts pinged off the roof around them as more commandos fired from above.

Raven quickly put up a small shield around herself as Beast Boy turned into a fly, hoping to dodge the increasing laser blasts.

A set of green orbs shot through the clouds and exploded along the side of the building that the commandos occupied. As lightning flashed again, there was a flash of pink, purple, and red. The blur of color flew into the building as long rays of light flew from the blur's tip, blowing away what was left of the robot forces.

…

Starfire flew out the other side of the building as her eyes turned from a bright green to their normal shade. "My friends! You are unharmed?"

"Thanks!" Beast Boy replied, holding up a thumb. He looked at Raven. "See? That's how you save the da—"

"Starfire, look out!" Raven shouted.

Starfire turned and yelped, diving low to avoid a black and orange dropship that was shaped like an 'S'. As Beast Boy turned into a hare to dodge more blasts and Raven put up another shield, a blue, circular light appeared on a rooftop far above.

Starfire looked at the source as lightning flashed one last time, illuminating silver and blue as the light descended from the rooftop. The blue light touched the dropship, causing a large explosion. The ship crashed on the rooftop in front of Raven and Beast Boy as a wave of smoke emanated from the wreckage.

Out of the smoke walked a tall man made of metal and flesh.

…

"Booya," Cyborg said smugly with a small smile as the end of his right arm reverted from a sonic cannon into a hand. He looked around. "Where's Robin?"

A yellow line shot above them, hooking onto the roof's railing. A second later, Robin flipped up onto the roof and landed in front of his team as the group formed a 'V' with the young Titan at the point.

…

Slade moved out of the shadows of the tallest building in the city. _Finally._

…

 **When there's trouble, you know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **From their tower, they can see it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **When there's evil on the attack,**

 **you can rest knowing they got your back.**

 **'Cause when the world need heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS GO!**

 **With their superpowers, they unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Never met a villain that they liked…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **They've got the bad guys on the run.**

 **They never stop 'till the job gets done.**

 **'Cause when the world is losin' all control…**

 **TEEN TITANS GO!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **GO!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

"This doesn't change anything. If I ever see you again—"

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

– Robin and Slade. Season 4: Episode 12 "The End – Part II."

…

 ** _"TITANS DUSK"_**

The Titans looked around for further threats.

After a few seconds of silence, Beast Boy let out a breath of relief. "Whew. Looks like that's all of them. Slade must be running out of—"

"Pleeaase stop talking," Raven pleaded quietly.

The rain around them stopped, leaving the surrounding area completely silent.

"This is just the beginning," Robin said, scanning the other rooftops. "Slade's never given up this easily. Why would he start now?"

"Don't forget," Cyborg said. "We still don't know why Slade himself sent us the location."

"I too agree," Starfire said. "This makes me feel… uneasy."

Raven turned and looked around.

"Raven?" Robin asked. "What's wrong?"

Raven turned back to the team. "I don't know… I sense—"

There was a series of loud beeps and a couple of parallel rooftops below them lit up, revealing two machines.

Cyborg raised his right arm and scanned the devices.

"Any idea what _those_ are supposed to be?" Beast Boy asked, pointing.

"Not a clue," Cyborg answered, turning to Robin. "My scanner can't make heads or tails."

"We have to get a closer look," Robin decided, turning to his team. "Raven, Cyborg. See what you can do about the machines. Beast Boy, Starfire, keep them covered."

"What are you going to do?" Cyborg asked.

Robin turned toward the large, suited figure standing above them on the tallest building in the city. "I'm going to keep a promise."

As the Titans separated, Robin raised his grapple gun again, using it to leap onto the building to meet Slade.

"Robin," Slade said, his hands clasped behind his back. "I feared that you had forgotten about our last meeting."

"You know how this is going to end," Robin replied, cracking his knuckles. "You're going to jail."

Slade grunted. "I must say, I was hoping for something a little more… original."

Robin let out a battle cry and leapt into the air, aiming a kick at Slade's head.

…

Cyborg landed on one of the parallel rooftops containing a machine, firing his sonic cannon and blowing two robotic commandos off the roof.

Raven landed on the other rooftop, using her powers to deflect laser blasts back to their sources as three commandos fell. She turned to her own machine. "This looks… complicated."

"Ya think?" Cyborg exclaimed looking at the screen, buttons, and wiring on and around the device. "I don't even know how I would take this thing apart, let alone figure out what it is."

Above them, multiple dropships containing more commandos swooped down.

…

Robin unleashed a flurry of punches that Slade easily blocked.

Slade spun around in a low kick that Robin dodged flawlessly. Slade's second, follow-up kick hit its mark on Robin's chest, moving the young Titan back a step. As Slade started forward, Robin slid below a punch and used the momentum to flank his enemy. Slade spun around again to backhand Robin but only succeeded in hitting air.

"Your skills have improved," Slade commented, standing tall. "I'm proud to say I've had a part in that."

"What are you planning, Slade?" Robin demanded, unwilling to play Slade's mind games. "And where have you been since Trigon. Why surface now?"

"All plans will be revealed in good time," Slade replied, slowly circling the young Titan. "As for your other two questions, it's amazing how easy it is to plan while the only heroes that pose a potential threat are dealing with a collection of disorganized criminals with no _real_ endgame aside from destroying their enemies and taking over the world."

"You used the Brotherhood of Evil as a distraction," Robin said, starting to circle as well. "You've been planning this since you got your body back."

"I've been planning this longer than you can possibly imagine," Slade answered. "And yes, I knew from the beginning that the Brotherhood of Evil would fall."

Robin leapt forward again with a series of punches and kicks.

Slade barely moved, merely choosing to block skillfully as he continued speaking. "Even if the Brotherhood of Evil succeeded in defeating your precious team, they would have soon met their demise from within. When villains run out of heroes to fight, they turn on each other."

"You would know," Robin replied, executing a series of kicks that Slade was barely able to dodge. "You've never had much luck with apprentices or alliances yourself. Even after all has been said and done, you still have no legacy."

Slade dodged another punch and grunted, unleashing a fury of blows.

…

Starfire landed on another dropship and shot green rays from her eyes, demolishing all the commandos on board. Growling, she grabbed a control panel and yanked it out of its socket, tossing the large piece of metal into a second dropship.

…

Beast Boy jumped into the air and transformed into a kangaroo, kicking the driver of the dropship he was currently fighting on. The driver flew into a control panel, causing a large spark of electricity as the ship proceeded to fall straight down into the roof of a building.

Beast Boy turned into a snail as the dropship hit the roof and he used his shell to bounce safely to the ground.

…

Robin leaned back as Slade attempted to land another punch.

Slade followed up his attack with a downward kick. Robin spun out of the way before placing one leg on Slade's knee. Robin pushed off with the planted leg and kicked out with the other. Slade blocked the blow with his palm, pushed Robin back, and ran forward, swinging his right arm.

Robin ducked under the blow, swinging with his left, then right fists. The blows hit their marks, colliding with Slade's mask. Robin jumped into the air and lashed out with a spin-kick, sending the large man flying backwards.

Slade hit the ground and back-rolled to his feet before reaching into his belt and grabbing a staff that he quickly extended. The long, black weapon was tipped with a metal, orange 'S'.

Robin took out his own silver staff and extended it.

"I must admit, Robin," Slade said, holding the staff at his side. "You truly have become great adversary. Without my… consistent guidance, I feared that you would remain _inferior_."

"Try _su-perior_ ," Robin said, moving forward.

"Not yet, Robin," Slade said calmly, moving forward again. "Not yet."

There was a loud clang as the staffs connected.

…

Cyborg grunted in anger. "Nothing! Not one part of this makes sense. I can't even find the 'on' button."

"I'd rather find the 'off' button," Raven said from the other rooftop. "But this feels… strange."

"What kind of 'strange'?" Cyborg asked.

"Yeah," Beast Boy chimed in through their Communicators. "Your 'strange' and 'normal' are a tad bit different than ours."

Raven ignored the comment.

Starfire landed behind Cyborg to blast another commando. "This is getting tiresome," she said irritably. "Why has Slade brought such an army?"

Suddenly, both the machines started to whir and beep.

…

Robin grunted as Slade's staff connected with his left ribcage before the young Titan was kicked off his feet.

Robin rolled back quickly as the 'S' on the end of Slade's staff collided with the roof a fraction of a second later.

Slade took a step back, flourishing his staff.

Robin eyed the large man suspiciously before rushing forward and unleashing a flurry of blows as he called out to his teammates. "Titans, status."

"These things just activated!" Cyborg answered frantically. "I still don't know how to shut them down."

Robin ducked under another blow from Slade.

"Same thing here," Raven added. "Slade's commandos are…"

"What?" Robin asked, locking his staff with Slade's, creating a cross with the weapons.

"They're running?" Beast Boy said skeptically. He then spoke with excitement. "They're running!"

"Now is not the time for…" Robin grunted as he pushed Slade back. "Jokes, Beast Boy."

"It is not a joke," Starfire said in awe. "They are… leaving."

"What?" Robin asked again, tilting his head.

Slade seized the momentary distraction and charged forward, swinging his staff and hooking end of Robin's own staff in the metal 'S'. Robin grunted in surprise as Slade twisted both weapons, breaking the Titan's staff in half.

Slade lashed out with a foot and kicked Robin backward and into the railing of the roof.

"Still too easily distracted," Slade commented as Robin slowly stood. The commando grunted. "Distracted by your pride. Distracted by your… friends."

"No…" Robin said as he reached behind his belt and grabbed one of his mini-staffs with his left hand. "I fight for my friends. And I'm not a slave to you either… not now… not ever!"

"Really?" Slade admonished. "The mask that I had planted in your tower seemed to make you exactly that."

"That wasn't real," Robin argued.

"No," Slade admitted. "But that didn't stop you from believing what you saw that stormy night."

"I saw a desperate criminal playing the last card he had," Robin grunted as he stood tall. "I. Am not. Your. Slave."

Slade's eye narrowed as he swung his staff. "You will always be enslaved to me!"

Robin used his mini-staff to block the blow before side-stepping away from the edge of the roof.

"You have come every time that I've called!" Slade continued, swinging yet again.

"Every time I've threatened your precious city!"

Swing. Clang.

"Every time I've threatened your worthless friends!"

Clang.

"I have brought you to me time…"

Clang.

Robin's Communicator fell to the ground as took a step back.

"And time…"

Clang.

Slade moved forward.

"And time again!"

Clang. Clang. Clang. Robin's mini-staff cracked slightly under the mighty blows and he pivoted again, spinning to meet Slade in the middle of the roof.

"You are enslaved to my will!" Slade said loudly as the wind picked up. With each word he swung again. "I. Will. Always. Be. Your. Master!"

"No!" Robin shouted.

Robin brought his mini-staff around, intentionally hooking it into the metal 'S' on Slade's staff. Robin tugged the weapons toward him before quickly swinging down with his broken staff.

Slade's own weapon cracked in half on impact.

Robin spun and lashed out with his mini-staff. Slade stepped back to dodge the blow. Robin spun once again, this time swinging his broken staff at Slade's head. Slade took another step back to dodge but was unprepared when Robin flipped the weapon and extended the second half.

Robin's now full-length staff connected with Slade's helmet, throwing his mortal enemy off his feet and toward the far edge of the roof.

…

"Robin!" Starfire called again. "Robin, why do you not answer me?"

"His Communicator seems to be down…" Cyborg said, glancing at his arm. "Again."

Beast Boy exchanged glances with Raven before he turned into a hawk and started to fly above the buildings. He squawked in surprise before landing next to Cyborg.

"Uh, guys?" Beast Boy asked, pointing into the sky. "That's not supposed to happen, is it?"

As the four Titans looked up, they saw that the large clouds in the sky had begun to separate, forming a full, half-mile wide circular void. The new hole in the sky revealed…

"Nothing?" Starfire said with her eyes wide. "No stars? No clouds? Even on Tamaran, this has never been seen."

"This doesn't make any sense," Cyborg confirmed. He looked over at Raven, who was staring intently at the void in the sky. "Ray, you okay?"

"Something's wrong…" Raven said cryptically.

…

Robin grabbed his Communicator and strode forward as Slade grunted again and rose to a knee.

"Why are you here," Robin asked again. "What's your plan?"

Slade slowly stood. "You have proven that your abilities have improved in every aspect," he said, ignoring Robin's question. "But it won't help you. Not this time."

"You're stalling," Robin said, standing over Slade. "You've never gone down this easily. And even if you did, you would have run by now. What is your plan, Slade?"

Slade looked above Robin at the sky as he spoke. "Robin, dear boy, you are about to find out."

…

"Woah!" Cyborg said as both the machines sent two beams of white light into the void above.

"That's new…" Beast Boy commented.

"That's _bad_ ," Raven corrected dryly.

Starfire didn't say a word.

…

Robin turned as the void in the sky turned to a bright white before fading and the empty hole was replaced by stars. Beyond the perimeter of the void, the clouds from the recent storm remained.

Robin turned again to find that Slade had disappeared. Running to the edge of the roof, Robin spotted his foe on the street below. After a grunt of frustration, Robin looked at the sky again. He turned away from Slade and once again ran to the other end of the roof.

Robin grappled onto the railing and jumped over the edge, using the rope to guide him safely down to his friends. He was immediately greeted with a hug from Starfire. Robin quickly returned the hug.

"Where's Slade?" Cyborg asked.

"We'll have to deal with him later," Robin replied. He looked at the sky. "What is this?"

"Whatever it is, it's not like anything I've ever seen," Cyborg said.

"Raven?" Robin asked.

Before Raven could answer, a series of green and red lights filled the starry void.

After a moment of observation, the heroes realized that the lights were attached to a large red and brown spacecraft. The ship was mostly circular, with three spikes on either side, two spikes surrounding the back, glowing red thrusters, and two spikes stretching out in front of the ship.

The cylindrical center of the ship led to a circular control center located on the front end of the spacecraft. The control center also contained three spikes along its perimeter. On the bottom was a large set of circular doors. Surrounding the doors were four large black and red turrets.

"That's not a void…" Robin said.

"It's a portal!" Cyborg completed.

They fell silent as the command ship's doors opened and multiple rectangular dropships of black and green descended through the portal. The blueish-green scaled aliens on the dropships supported yellow and black armor, red eyes, yellow fins and wings, as well as long, three-pronged spears. The center prongs of the spears lit up red as they spotted the young Titans below.

Beast Boy's jaw dropped. "Please tell me those aren't…"

"Aww man!" Cyborg exclaimed. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"Gordanians!" Robin shouted.

"Greeeaaat…" Raven said sarcastically.

Starfire flew up to the nearest dropship as the five Gordanians on board turned to her.

"Titans, get ready!" Robin said, pulling out his staff again.

"Excuse me," Starfire called. "I am sorry that we have opened up a portal into your home without asking permission but— Ahh!"

Starfire flew low to dodge several blue blasts from the Gordanian's weapons and shot off a few starbolts before rejoining the team and looking to Robin.

Robin hesitated only a moment before turning to his team. "Raven, Cyborg, Shut those portals down by any means necessary. Beast Boy, Starfire, and I will keep these guys busy."

They all ducked as one of dropships flew in low and fired at them. Raven put up a shield, protecting them from the blast as the dropship flew below the building.

"So…" Beast Boy said to Robin as Raven lowered the shield and Starfire took off after one of the dropships. "It seems they like us about as much now as they did the night we all met."

Robin glared at Beast Boy.

"Right," Beast Boy said with a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head. "Bye."

As Beast Boy turned into a crow and took off, Robin ran to the edge of the roof and jumped, landing on the dropship that was passing below.

…

Miles away, Slade walked through the front door of the flash-freeze prison that had recently been built in Jump City.

The villain ignored the unconscious or groaning policemen dressed in their usual armored black and silver uniforms and helmets. Their incapacitation, along with the Titans inability to lend immediate assistance, left the prison completely unguarded.

As Slade reached the center of the compound, he entered a large room with a high ceiling. All along the blue walls were the standing and lying forms of sworn enemies of the Teen Titans.

Some, Slade knew by name. Others, he had never bothered to learn. All were still in the same position they had been frozen in since the final battle between the Brotherhood of Evil and the Teen Titans.

In the center of the room was a large glass container. Slade held his hands behind his back as his robot commandos started placing criminals from the walls inside the container. When they were finished, Slade's commandos all marched to his side and turned to him.

"Do it," Slade ordered.

One of the commandos walked to a nearby console and started turning knobs, flipping switches, and hitting buttons. As the doors to the container slid down, the lights inside became bright and a white mist began to form.

Ten seconds later, it was over.

Slade watched as the doors to the container slid open and mist spilled into the room, surrounding Slade and his commandos. A few seconds later, dozens of criminals ran out of the mist. Some were cheering. Some were silent. All were plotting vengeance against the Teen Titans and the world.

Slade remained where he was as the criminals flooded out of the prison. He knew, due to the portals keeping the Titans at bay, that most of the men, women, robots, and otherwise that he'd just freed would escape.

Although most criminals gave Slade a wide birth as they passed by, there were two who instantly moved to stand by his side.

As the mist finally cleared, Slade gazed at the surrounding walls and the four criminals still flash-frozen in place.

"I do not suffer the presence of those who are only interested in simple-minded world domination," Slade said to prisoners. He glanced at the flash-frozen form of General Immortus. "Nor do I give my time to those who give up so easily after a small disagreement in tactics regarding a plan years in the making."

As the prison was left empty, the power gave out, leaving The Brain, Monsieur Mallah, Madame Rouge, and General Immortus frozen and alone in the dark.

…

Robin jumped and kicked one of the last four Gordanians off the dropship before ducking behind a nearby chair for cover.

…

Cyborg gave his machine a blast from his sonic cannon before banging its still undented surface with a fist. "Any luck on your end?" he called to Raven.

"No," Raven answered as she tried to hack into the device.

"I just don't get how this thing keeps giving me attitude," Cyborg complained. "With all the electronics and wiring it should be pretty simple. It's like it's made of—"

"Magic!" Raven said with a gasp. She looked at the portal above. "Slade's been planning this since my father resurrected him. He must have used some of the powers he'd been given to figure how portals work and built the machines."

"It doesn't matter what it's made of," Robin said as he landed next to Cyborg followed by an unconscious Gordanian. Robin smashed a fist into his own palm. "We need it destroyed, now!"

Raven looked at the machine for a moment and raised a hand. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos."  
All at once, the screws, bolts, wires, and nails became outlined with black energy and popped off the machine. Raven threw the bits and pieces aside before easily removing a spherical metal plate, revealing a red, blue, orange, and black ball that was pulsing with energy.

"Starfire!" Raven called as the Tamaranian kicked a Gordanian off a now empty dropship.

Raven grabbed the portal generator's core with her magic and threw it high into the air. Starfire flew back as her eyes lit up, sending a ray of green light into the still vibrating core.

The following blast was enormous and would have obliterated the rooftop had Raven not contained the blast within a sphere of black energy.

"Nice job, ladies!" Cyborg exclaimed as Raven released the hold.

Suddenly, through the portal above, the Gordanian command ship fired down at them using its four turrets.

Raven reacted quickly, putting up another large shield over the two rooftops. However, this left her unable to take apart the second portal generator.

Cyborg returned his gaze the remaining machine.

Unable to reach the safety of Raven's shield, Beast Boy flew above them as a hummingbird, dodging more blasts from the remaining dropship and the turrets. Starfire started to swerve in midair, firing starbolts through the portal.

Cyborg punched the machine with his fist in vain. "I can't break into this thing without Raven's help!"  
"Everything can be broken," Robin argued. "How much would it take?"

"The power and impact needed would be enough to blow the roof and the top three floors!" Cyborg answered.

Raven grunted and fell to a knee as her shield was hit with a large barrage of blasts from the command ship.

"Is the building clear of civilians?" Robin asked.

Cyborg looked at his arm before answering. "Yes."

"Hurry…" Raven grunted, extending more power to her shield.

Starfire flew overhead again, throwing another few starbolts at the command ship as Beast Boy continued to fly around the final Gordanian dropship.

Starfire dodged another blast in midair. "I fear we cannot destroy the machine of portal-making without first stopping the commanding ship from firing through the portal."

Robin thought for a moment and took out three explosive discs, holding them in between his fingers.

Cyborg smiled slightly and turned his right arm into a sonic cannon.

Robin looked at the portal above. "Raven, lower the shield!"

Raven let out a breath and released the shield.

Cyborg immediately aimed his sonic cannon at the portal. "Sonic—"

"Boom!" Robin said as he threw the discs into the portal.

The ascendance of the discs was aided by Raven's magic, guiding them through the portal and directly into the path of Cyborg's sonic blast.

The resulting explosion did little to make the large Gordanian command ship retreat, but it successfully disabled the four turrets.

…

"Cy, Robin, Raven!" Beast Boy called from above as he landed on a nearby rooftop. "Heads up!"

Beast Boy turned into a small bat and flew high above the remaining dropship that Starfire was keeping at bay with her starbolts. As he neared the portal, Beast Boy morphed again, turning into a large whale and started freefalling down to the dropship.

Just before Beast Boy impacted with the dropship, Raven used her magic to create a small buffer underneath the large, green whale. The buffer held as the whale hit the dropship at full speed, driving it straight down into the portal generator. Just before the dropship impacted, Beast Boy turned into a pteranodon, using his cretaceous form to fly to safety.

As the entire roof around them exploded, the Titans leapt for the nearest roof. Robin used his grapple gun to land safely on the roof while Cyborg and Raven hopped down from a small circular platform that Raven had created using magic. A moment later, Beast Boy and Starfire landed next to them.

"Awww yeah!" Cyborg shouted as the smoke cleared and the portal disappeared.

Robin and Starfire exchanged small smiles as Beast Boy gave Cyborg a high five. Raven took a breath of relief.

"Teen Titans: one, Slade: zero!" Cyborg continued.

Beast Boy put his hand in his chin, thinking of all the times Slade had one-upped them. Just as he was about to speak his mind, a black hand of energy smacked him on the back of the head.

"Don't even think about it," Cyborg warned.

"I didn't say anything," Beast Boy argued.

Raven lowered her hood. "Maybe the next time you drop onto a solid, metal object from fifty feet above, you'll find yourself landing without a buffer."

"I didn't _say_ anything!" Beast Boy repeated.

…

Starfire smiled and giggled softly as the banter continued. She stopped when she saw Robin striding to the edge of the roof, looking at the sky.

Robin stood still for a moment, placing a hand on the stone railing.

"Robin," Starfire said, joining him. "Are you not going to join us in the celebration of victory?"

Robin shook his head.

"It is okay that you did not defeat Slade," Starfire said. "We will find him again."

"I _did_ defeat him," Robin said, breaking his silence. "But… it was too easy."

"You think that we were not victorious," Starfire guessed.

"Hellooooo!" Beast Boy said as the other three Titans joined them. "Did you not see how we just stopped an alien invasion?"

"Yeah," Cyborg said in agreement. "We won, Robin. You should lighten up."

Robin turned and looked at Raven.

Raven looked up at the sky for a moment. "Robin's right," she said. "Something's wrong. Slade wouldn't mess with magic unless—"

"Unless there's more to the plan," Robin confirmed.

Before anyone else could speak, there was a series of loud clunks and beeps from all around them. The Titans readied themselves for battle but froze when they saw the sources of the sounds.

Across the city and beyond, as far as the eye could see, beams of light appeared. A few seconds later, dozens of portals appeared in the sky, exposing the city and Earth to an infinite amount of dangers.

…

In the middle of the city, a young woman walked down the street with her boyfriend, happily grasping his hand.

Suddenly, the cloudy sky lit up and star-filled holes appeared. All around, people stopped and stared. Some even shrunk away from the beautiful anomalies that would, in time, consume the entire world.

There was a large explosion down the street that blew out the windows of a jewelry store where the young woman had just bought a small necklace in the shape of a lightning bolt. The necklace now rested over her own round, purple necklace.

A similar explosion occurred in the Cook's Electronics shop at the other end of the street. Out of the smoke, holding expensive electronic valuables, ran clones of the red and black clothed Billy Numerous. The villain was once again wearing a large division sign across each of his clone's chests.

"We're back!" the clones said in unison.

The young woman and her boyfriend exchanged looks of shock before exchanging small nods. A millisecond later, the young woman's boyfriend sped off in the direction of the pawn shop.

Now, in the young woman's hand, was a single red rose.

The young woman moved determinedly toward the jewelry store.

…

High on the rooftop of a Chang Industries skyscraper, a master thief ceased his lock-picking and looked at the portal that had just appeared overhead.

"That's interesting," the thief commented. He finished unlocking the rooftop door. "Perfect cover. I might be able to make a few more runs tonight."

…

Deep within the Jump City junkyards, a large pile of garbage parted as a cloaked being walked out of the darkness, scanning a hole in the sky for anomalies or threats.

…

A high school girl walked into her dorm room at the orphanage after a long night at the library to find her roommates staring out the windows at the sky.

The schoolgirl briefly looked out the window and saw many voids that allowed stars to penetrate the cloudy sky. The schoolgirl shrugged with disinterest as she always did with the world occurrences relating to heroes.

As her roommates continued to gawk at the windows, the schoolgirl moved to her still unmade bed. She grunted in irritation as she shook out the dirt covered pillow and flipped it over before laying down.

…

At midnight in Titans tower, Robin walked into the large living room to find a flurry of activity.

Every monitor, including the central television, was filled with maps containing multicolored lights as well as the screenshots of all available Honorary Titans. At each station, members of Robin's team were hard at work.

Starfire maintained and sorted through communications with the other Titans. Cyborg and Raven were each looking at scans of the portal generators and the portals themselves. Beast Boy, in the form of a squid, used his many tentacles to input any new updates and information into various control panels.

Bumblebee spoke through the loudspeaker attached to the television. "We'll do our best to figure out what's going on, Sparky," she was saying to Cyborg. "But we just had a major jailbreak here in Steel City."

"Slade's commandos?" Robin asked.

"Yup. But what's interesting is he didn't break out Brother Blood," Bumblebee said, sounding somewhat confused. There was a series of alarms on her end of the line. "Listen, I gotta go. It looks like Steamroller is at it again. Good luck."

The central monitor went blank as everyone turned to Robin.

"This has happened everywhere," Starfire said, the worry in her voice apparent. "All of our friends have seen these portals."

"Where exactly do these portals lead?" Robin asked Raven and Cyborg as they moved to join him at the center of the room. "What kind of trouble are we looking at?"

"They lead anywhere Slade wants them to," Raven explained. "These aren't just portals through space. They lead to other places. Other multiverses. Other dimensions. And, in turn, every portal leads—"

"Straight to us," Cyborg completed. "The Gordanians, the Drenthax, Cironiellian Chrysalis Eaters, the Shriekers we encountered on that space station a while back, aliens from the Citadel, even the Locrix if they're still around after we installed the Quantum Eradicator—"

"Any of them could come through the portals," Robin completed.

Cyborg nodded.

"Could you please stop with the lists?" Beast Boy begged, resuming his human form. He shook out his hands. "My fingers are starting to hurt."

"I do not like a lot of the things on these lists," Starfire added.

"Those are just the ones we know about for sure," Cyborg said. "Who knows what else is out there."

"And the escaped criminals?" Robin asked, folding his arms. "How many of them are out there now?"

The console behind Beast Boy lit up with updates before anyone could answer.

Raven moved to stand by Beast Boy. "Another flash-freeze prison break. More commandos," she said. "That makes four."

"This is getting out of hand," Cyborg said to Robin quietly.

Robin turned toward the door. "I need to write a briefing."

"Duude!" Beast Boy moaned. "What do you think I've _been_ doing?"

"Make sure you take count of the criminals that _haven'_ t been broken out," Robin advised.

Beast Boy groaned dramatically before turning into a giant spider and continuing to type.

"Let me know if anything new happens," Robin said. He turned and walked into the hallway.

"Robin," Starfire called.

Robin slowed to a stop, not turning around.

Starfire stopped a few feet away. "If you are not briefing the other Titans, who are you writing a brief to?"

Robin lowered his voice. "Somebody I never thought I'd answer to again," he replied, not turning around. He continued walking without another word.

…

"It is never good when Robin goes into his room," Starfire commented as she returned to the team.

"It's never a good sign," Cyborg agreed. He placed his fist on the table in front of him. "I should've found something like this on the city-wide scan I ran when we returned from fighting the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Even if you had, it wouldn't have mattered," Raven said calmly. "This wasn't just technology, it was magic. Almost impossible to track. And Slade did his research."

"Yeah!" Beast Boy added dramatically. "And there is literally no place through those portals that have ever been nice to me or my 'do'…"

Starfire looked out the giant window in front of her.

Cyborg and Raven looked at Beast Boy sternly with furrowed eyebrows.

"Except Tamaran," Beast Boy tried to add quickly, hoping he didn't hurt Starfire's feelings. "Sorry, Starfire."

"It is not you," Starfire said distantly, looking up at the sky. "It is… me. I think that it's time that I—"

Alarms started going off everywhere as both lights on each of their suits and those located on the computer started to blink red and black.

Raven ran to the central monitor and pressed a few buttons.

"More portals?" Cyborg guessed.

"And worse," Raven said.

"How much worse could it get?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven pressed another button. Three images appeared on the central computer.

The first was a picture of the large silver and black robot known as I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. The twenty-foot tall being was using his immense strength provided by his mechanical arms to throw a semi into a nearby gas station, causing a huge explosion that scattered all citizens and police forces.

The second image was that of the robotic warrior known as Atlas. The gold and red giant, sporting a new jet-black left leg in place of the one he'd lost during the final battle between the Titans and the Brotherhood of Evil, was currently tearing apart a MANU Advanced Robotics manufacturing plant.

The third, and most troublesome image, was an army of twenty Locrix coming through one of the portals over the city. Their large, white and black mechanical forms still sported circular red, 'X' shaped power cores on their chest. They immediately spilled out onto city streets.

Beast Boy practically ripped out his hair.

"You had to say something," Cyborg grumbled. "Didn't you?"

"We have to go," Raven said needlessly.

"We need Robin," Starfire said, gliding toward the door.

When Starfire reached Robin's room, she found the young hero standing over his laptop. Just as she entered, Starfire saw a small, black symbol in the shape of a bat disappear from the screen.

"Trouble," Robin said. It wasn't a question.

"Who was that?" Starfire asked.

"The League," Robin answered, grabbing his staffs, discs, grapple guns, and birdarangs.

"The League," Starfire repeated, glancing at the computer.

"I never thought it'd come this," Robin said solemnly. "But this is more than the Titans can handle alone."

"Robin, what does the League want?" Starfire inquired, following Robin out the door.

"Us," Robin answered.

"What does that mean?" Starfire asked as they entered an elevator.

"It means they want something I can't give," Robin said crisply. He shook his head, evidently noticing his tone. "We can't worry about it now. We have to get through tonight first."

…

Robin ducked under another large punch from I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. and rolled out of the way.

I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. laughed and tore a streetlight out of the ground, swinging it at Robin. Robin backflipped out of the way, landed on top of the horizontal pole, ran its length, and attempted to send a kick into I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R.'s central head monitor.

The machine quickly brought a large arm up and pushed Robin away. Robin, while still in midair, took out his grapple gun. Before hitting the ground, Robin aimed and grappled onto a still standing street pole. Using his momentum, he swung back around, throwing two explosive discs.

The disc's impacted, blowing I.N.S.T.A.G.A.T.O.R.'s black, lower stomach wide open. Robin, still airborne, released the grapple gun and launched a kick that threw I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. to the ground. As Robin backflipped from the impact of the kick, he threw two freeze discs into the new hole in the large machine's armor.

As the discs impacted, I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. had an electronic seizure, shaking as the cold gas released by the explosives spread through his core systems. A few seconds later, I.N.S.T.I.G.A.T.O.R. fell to the ground, his head monitor slowly going dark.

Robin took a breath and looked at the destruction all around him before gazing at the dark sky that held the many portals.

…

Cyborg and Raven arrived in the center of the warehouse as Atlas ripped apart a large and expensive prototype fighting robot.

"Unworthy machines," Atlas spat. He turned, saw the Titans, and smiled. "Finally. The 'nothing's' I've been waiting for."

"Just surrender now and we won't have to whoop your butt from here to Star City," Cyborg advised, leveling his sonic cannon.

Atlas grunted. "These machines are nothing when it comes to fighting," he said, striding forward. "But they do have good, self-installing tech that proves useful when placed in the hands of a superior robot."

Atlas flipped forward and landed on a hand. As he turned, his jet-black, left leg transformed from a leg into a red laser that ripped through the floor, ceiling, and machinery all around them.

A large shelf behind Cyborg cracked in half and started to fall.

Raven leapt forward. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The shelf froze momentarily, allowing Cyborg to dive out of the way.

Cyborg looked from the shelf to Atlas's leg. "Well, alrighty then…" the Titan said casually. "This could get complicated."

Atlas charged again.

…

Starfire let loose a series of starbolts that destroyed five of the Locrix.

As the Locrix reached into the sky with their large arms, their fingers stretched with fluidity to strike at the Tamaranian. Beast Boy charged down the street as a rhino, impaling two of the machines and scattering the entire force.

Starfire stopped firing and free-fell as she raised a fist that began to glow green.

…

Cyborg fired a shot from his sonic cannon. The blast impacted with one of Atlas's hands.

Atlas screamed in rage. The robot front-flipped, attempting to slice Cyborg in half with a vertical downward slash from his laser leg. Before the laser could connect, Raven used her magic to move a large, tall crate into the beam's path.

The crate was destroyed instantly, revealing… nothing.

Atlas turned and saw Cyborg less than two feet away from him. Half a second later, Atlas found himself flying across the warehouse, colliding against the back wall. The electronics in his left leg gave out, disabling the laser.

As Raven covered the bottom half of Atlas's body with debris to keep him immobilized, Cyborg walked forward.

"Care to continue?" Cyborg asked, leveling his sonic cannon.

Atlas let out a breath of disappointment and looked away.

…

Beast Boy, in the form of a gorilla, threw another disabled Locrix aside before turning to see a Locrix leveling its arm.

The Titan quickly jumped into the air and grabbed Starfire's hand as the Tamaranian flew overheard. With a grunt, Starfire spun in midair and threw Beast Boy at the Locrix.

Beast Boy transformed into a bird to dodge the mechanical alien's blast as Starfire turned in midair. The Locrix exploded into four pieces as Starfire flew through its chest in a flash of green before she landed on to ground underneath the nearby portal.

Beast Boy resumed his human form, letting out a breath of relief. "Wow… I forgot how tough those things were. At least last time we had some backup."

Starfire didn't answer, once again gazing into the sky.

Beast Boy slapped a hand over his mouth, feeling for the second time that night he had made Starfire unhappy, this time by inadvertently alluding to the rude, assuming, and discriminating Val-Yor.

Starfire finally turned away, giving Beast Boy a small, understanding smile before taking flight. "We should return to the Tower."

"Whew…" Beast Boy said, rubbing his forehead. "Does this mean I can go to bed, now?"

…

The following morning dawned bright orange, illuminating Jump City, Titans Tower, and Robin.

Robin's cape floated forward, covering most of his body. He looked not to the dawn, but to the storm clouds that continued to gather and the portals that spelled possible doom to the city and Earth itself.

"I see you lacked the ability to get the sleep as well," Starfire said from behind, jarring Robin from his thoughts. Starfire moved to stand beside him. "It is not our fault that this has happened, Robin."

"Maybe not," Robin admitted, still looking at the clouds. "But it has and after all we've been through… we may not be enough this time, Starfire."

"That is why the League 'wants us' as you said," Starfire said. She looked to the sky as well.

"They don't just want 'us'," Robin explained. "They want _all_ of the Titans. You, me, Raven, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Titans East, South, and North. Everyone we've ever recruited; the League says they need us all. Even the new recruits that Cyborg's been training."

"It is wise," Starfire said after a moment of silence. "We need to be prepared for what can come through these portals. We need to send scouts to see what is through them. We need to build defenses both on Earth and beyond. We need to make friends with whom can and prepare for conflict with those we cannot."

"It is a good plan," Robin said simply. He sighed. "And they… _he_ wants _me_ to lead this. The Titans have just as much experience with what can come through those portals as anyone. They think that I should be a part of the entire defense strategy for Earth."

"It is not the plan that is bothering you," Starfire said, knowing that Robin would eventually speak his mind. "You know that you have the skills for such a task."

"It's the city," Robin said after another few seconds of silence. "It's Earth. With all the heroes heading through the portals, we're leaving it undefended. We need to be here to stop all the criminals that Slade released. We need to be here to stop _Slade_."

Starfire didn't answer right away. Eventually, she moved forward to stand in front of Robin.

Robin looked into her eyes, remaining silent.

"You mean that _you_ have to be here to stop Slade," Starfire said calmly. " _You_ have to protect the city. That is why _you_ do not wish to leave."

Robin looked down, unable to answer.

"Robin," Starfire said, grabbing both the young man's hands. "You have always been a great leader and an even greater friend. Many times, evil has threatened to take control of the world and its people that I have come to love. And every time, you and the team that you have led and loved have pushed the evil back."

Robin felt Starfire's hands gently squeeze his own.

Starfire continued calmly and firmly. "But your one weakness, the one thing you still share with Slade, is your pride."

Robin let out a small shudder, knowing that Starfire was right.

"There will always be evil," Starfire said. "There will always be heroes. For a long time, the heroes were us. That time may be coming to an end. But that does not mean the end of heroes."

Robin looked away for a moment.

Starfire squeezed his hands again. "I fear that if you do not let go of your pride and go to where the world needs you most, we may lose our home completely."

"Which is why we're going to figure this out together," Cyborg said as he, Raven, and Beast Boy joined them on the roof.

Robin turned to them, still holding Starfire's hand. "Starfire's right," he said, glancing at the sky. "We can do just as much good out there as we can here. But we can't leave the city undefended."

"I'll stay," Beast Boy said quietly.

All eyes turned to him.

Beast Boy looked at each member of his team in turn. "There's no place through those portals that will be good for me. I'll stay and defend the city."

Robin walked forward and placed a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "I have no doubt you have what it takes, Beast Boy," he said genuinely. "But you can't do this alone."

Beast Boy nodded as Cyborg placed a hand on the youngest Titan's shoulder.

Raven gave the Beast Boy a small smile of respect.

"So what do we do?" Cyborg asked.

"We need to build a team," Robin said determinedly. "A team that we know can keep this city safe."

"And the other Towers?" Raven inquired.

"All of them," Robin confirmed. "The other cities around the world will need heroes as well."

"How much time do we have?" Cyborg asked.

"Not long," Robin answered. "The League is getting everything in motion as we speak. If we're going to recruit, we need to start now."

The other Titans nodded and turned to the dawn where a small ray of sunlight pierced through the far-off storm clouds.

Starfire sighed and slowly let go of Robin's hand. "My friends…" she said. "I fear that I must say goodbye _now_."

The other Titans looked at her in surprise.

"It is not that I wish to leave," Starfire explained kindly, unable to meet Robin's eye. "But I have a duty to the planet that I have chosen as my home. While it is true that I am no longer a princess, I still have much power and support among my people on Tamaran."

The other Titans stared, still unable to speak.

"If I leave now, I may be able to amass additional support for Earth," Starfire continued, looking down. "And, with Galfore's help, I can forge treaties and even reach out to other races that are friendly to the Tamaranian people such as the Centaurian Empire. I may even be able to gain the help of races that contain individuals that are _not_ so friendly themselves."

"Val-Yor's people," Raven guessed. "The Vernathians."

"But what about Silkie?" Beast Boy asked as the small, multilegged pink and white larva slid up to Starfire and nudged her leg.

"He should remain with those he loves," Starfire answered gently as she picked up Silkie and gave him a hug. After a few seconds, Starfire set the larva down and looked into the sky as her voice grew darker. "As for his original creator, I think even Killer Moth and his thousands of moth creations can assist in guarding the portals."

"You really think he'd help?" Cyborg asked.

Starfire's eyes grew bright green with energy. "A father would do anything to protect his 'little girl'," Starfire answered firmly, staring at the ground. "Perhaps _Kitten_ could be useful as a reminder for the potential dangers beyond the portals rather than just being a brat of spoils."

Everyone was silent for a few seconds.

Eventually, Starfire nodded. She looked up with sadness. "I am sorry that this is so sudden, and I do not wish to say goodbye. But, like all of you, I have been called to something greater and—"

"Don't sweat it, Star," Cyborg said, giving Starfire a one-handed hug as Robin stood frozen behind her. Cyborg brushed a strand of hair out of Starfire's eye. "Your people deserve a leader like you."

Starfire nodded, and looked to each of her friends.

Starfire moved to Beast Boy, giving him a bone-cracking hug.

Beast Boy turned into a snake, twisting his body before resuming his human form. "So…" he said awkwardly, rubbing his hair. "I'm still a Milnip Wusserloop, right?"

"You are so much more," Starfire said kindly.

Beast Boy smiled and turned into a cat, nudging Starfire's legs and earning a giggle.

Starfire moved to Raven and stopped, hesitating.

Raven hugged Starfire, earning gasps all around.

"I wish we had been able to meditate together more often," Starfire said, returning the hug and stepping back.

"Meditation is for those who need to control their emotions," Raven said calmly. "You shouldn't. It's what makes you ' _you_ ' _._ Your people will follow you because of it."

Starfire nodded. She sighed and looked at Robin. "I am sorry," she said. "I wish we could have spent more time together."

Robin reached out and pulled Starfire into a kiss. "We will," he promised, releasing her. "This isn't the end."

Starfire smiled and slowly started to raise herself into the sky. "Good luck, my friends. I shall see you when this is over."

The Titans looked down in sadness.

Starfire stopped for a moment before smiling. "I think I will miss… mustard the most."

The Titans all smiled and looked up to watch as Starfire flew up into the sky and eventually disappeared.

Robin took a deep breath and felt a comforting metal hand on his shoulder.

"We need a list of recruits," Robin said, giving Cyborg an appreciative nod.

"I've already got one in mind," Cyborg said.

"Who?" Raven and Beast Boy asked simultaneously.

"Somebody who's had this coming for a long time," Cyborg answered. "She spells bad luck for anybody the next team will have to face."

Robin smiled, knowing instantly who Cyborg had in mind.

After a few seconds, Raven smiled slightly, leaving Beast Boy looking more confused than ever.

"Let's get to work," Robin said.

…

The dawn of a new team has begun.


	2. Next Week on Ep:2 of Teen Titans Dawn

**Next Week on Teen Titans Dawn…**

"Sorry I'm late," someone said through the Titans' Communicators.

A young woman with pink hair in the shape of a horseshoe cartwheeled through the door to the bank.

…

An old woman wearing a black uniform and skirt stood near the entrance to a nearby alley. She had her grey hair in a tight bun. Her blue eyes were stern and alert. She was currently looking straight at Jinx.

…

The Headmistress spoke calmly. "This is meant for my former protégé," she said, seeming to look Jinx in the eye through the monitor. "You have turned your back on everything you have been taught. I am _ashamed_."

…

"Why should we be worried?" Beast Boy asked. "She's just an old lady."

"An old lady that trained _me_ ," Jinx clarified.

…

"You're bad luck," the Headmistress stated, repeating what she'd always told Jinx during her studies. The old woman raised a hand. "Good is not an option for you. You can never truly be a hero."

…

Jinx found herself being thrown over the desk and she landed on the floor.

The lightning bolt necklace fell upon the desk.

…

"You need to face her. Show her, show yourself, show the world who you truly are. Otherwise, it's only going to hold you back from being who _you_ want to be."

…

Jinx walked out of the darkness and into the light.


	3. Episode II: Jinx

The midmorning sun rose over Jump City.

Jinx slowly closed the window to her hotel room and sighed, finally turning away from the large voids that still littered the sky.

It had only been a day since the voids to other worlds had appeared. Jinx had spent most of her time aiding both local Jump City authorities and citizens as best she could, doing her part to prepare and defend her city and the world from both current and future attacks.

Jinx changed out of her light pink robe and into her usual purple and black outfit as well as her boots. When dressed, she grabbed her Titans Communicator. Lastly, she placed her new lightning bolt necklace over her purple necklace before exiting her room. She moved across the hall and to another room, knocking on the door.

After a few seconds of silence, Jinx shook her head and moved to the keypad next to the door, typing in a code. As she finished, the buttons she'd pressed lit up in the shape of a lightning bolt before going dark as the door hissed open.

Jinx walked through the messy hotel room and over to the fridge where there was a note waiting for her. It had been written quickly with multiple revisions and large lines had been scribbled over the majority of the words.

Hey, gorgeous.

Had to make a quick run to

Steel City

Metropolis

Rosenbaum City

Star City

Russia

Be back in a Flash.

The note was signed with a few purple and black lightning bolts.

Jinx smiled. Her train of thought was broken by the sound of the television that had been left on across from the hotel room's bed.

Jinx, not looking away from the T.V., flicked her wrist. With a flash of pink, a large picture hanging over the bed fell from the wall, impacted with the pillow, and sent the remote lying on the pillow soaring into her hand.

Jinx used the remote to turn up the volume on the T.V.

"…the Jump City customer branch of Starling International Bank seems to be under attack by two criminals who escaped during the jailbreak two nights ago around the same time the anomalies that still dot the sky above…"

Jinx rolled her eyes when she saw the two criminals inside the bank.

One criminal was incredibly large while the other was quite small.

"Not again," Jinx muttered, annoyed. She quickly turned off the television, set the remote on the bedside table, fixed the bed, and placed the picture back on the wall before exiting the hotel room.

As Jinx walked out onto the street, her Titans Communicator glinting in the sunlight.

…

 **There's new trouble. We know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **The old Titans, they can't stop it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **With all the evil on the attack,**

 **they won't rest until they got your back.**

 **The world will need more heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **Now a new team must come to the light…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Our world will surly perish if they don't unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **There's a path must be run.**

 **A path that leads straight to the dawn.**

 **'Cause without Titans, evil gains control…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **DAWN!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

"I'm bad luck. Good was never an option for me."

– Jinx. Season 5: Episode 8 "Lightspeed."

…

 ** _"Jinx"_**

"Hurry up!" Gizmo urged as Mammoth tossed a few unconscious uniformed officers aside in a pile.

Mammoth brushed his hands off with a grunt. "This would be a lot easier with—"

"Cram it," Gizmo spat as he pulled two small, silver orbs out of his pocket. "We don't need her."

Gizmo threw the small orbs onto the floor where they split into two separate orbs and began to unfold. The now four objects each supported four pointed legs that were held together by a metal, green 'G'. The devices crawled up the dark green walls and onto the large vault door at the end of the room.

Mammoth took his place beside Gizmo as the child took out a small, yellow detonator.

"Fire in the hole," Gizmo said with a grin.

The devices on the vault door exploded as Gizmo activated the detonator. The vault door's hinges were blown apart. Mammoth chuckled and easily tore the vault off the wall, revealing piles and piles of money.

Mammoth grunted and threw the vault door toward the front entrance to the bank.

The vault door stopped in midair. After a few moments, it fell awkwardly to the side, revealing the remainder of the Teen Titans.

…

Cyborg and Robin stood side by side with Raven and Beast Boy flanking them.

"Should've figured it would only take you a day to get back to your crimes," Cyborg said to Gizmo and Mammoth. "But did you _have_ to pick the most obvious target?"

"Maybe, they're just ready to go back to jail," Robin grunted.

Mammoth moved to stand by Gizmo's side again.

Gizmo grinned. "Well if it isn't Bird-Brain—"

"Maybe you should stop," Raven interrupted as she grasped her robes. "Or do you want to see the tentacles again?"

"You won't scare me again," Gizmo said, reaching into his back pocket and dropping a green, cube-shaped device on the ground behind him. "Besides, you're nothing compared to what was in Cybooger's snot."

"Yeah, don't need the memories," Beast Boy interjected.

"Last chance," Robin said, taking a step forward. "Surrender or—"

Mammoth picked up a nearby office chair and threw it at the Titans, who easily dodged the projectile.

Cyborg and Robin looked at each other and nodded, speaking together. "Teen Titans, Go!"

The Titans charged forward. Cyborg and Raven moved to confront Mammoth while Beast Boy and Robin faced off against Gizmo.

Gizmo produced a control panel from his pocket and punched two buttons. The first button activated four long, pointed legs from his backpack that allowed him to tower above his opponents. The second button activated the cube behind him, which produced two long, rectangular poles that brimmed with electricity.

Robin immediately jumped and attempted to kick Gizmo but was batted over the young genius's shoulder by one of the four legs. Beast Boy turned into a rabbit in order to dodge stabs from two of the other legs before turning into a porcupine to shoot quills from below.

Gizmo skillfully used one of the legs to block the quills.

…

Cyborg locked hands with Mammoth and they both tried to push the other back.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Raven threw two bags of money from the vault at Mammoth's back.

Mammoth barely reacted. He simply released his grip on Cyborg and backhanded the hero off his feet before throwing a nearby computer at Raven. Raven grabbed the computer with her magic and threw it back, momentarily distracting the villain.

…

Robin, seeing Gizmo's backpack charging up with electricity, ran at Beast Boy who had just turned into a gorilla in order to grab onto one of Gizmo's metal legs.

Robin tackled Beast Boy as best he could just before the electricity made contact with the young Titan. Beast Boy, still in gorilla form, gave Robin a confused look before grabbing a wooden desk for cover as two cannon's that had sprouted from Gizmo's shoulders fired at them.

The desk blew apart, sending both Beast Boy and Robin to the ground on the left side of the room.

…

Cyborg unleashed another punch with his right hand. Mammoth turned just in time to grab the hand as Cyborg turned it into a sonic cannon. The resulting burst of electricity blew Mammoth across the room and into the wall.

Raven landed beside Cyborg as he shook out his somewhat electrified metal hand.

Mammoth groaned and turned toward them, his glare turning into a smile.

Raven's eyes widened and she threw up a shield around both herself and Cyborg as the cube device that Gizmo had placed on the ground earlier buzzed loudly before one of its rectangular poles shot electricity toward them.

Instead of colliding with the shield however, the electricity turned and curled, forming into an electric cage that surrounded the two Titans.

Cyborg grunted in anger as Raven released her shield.

A half second later, the second pole shot electricity in Robin and Beast Boy's direction, wrapping them in an electric cage of their own.

Beast Boy attempted to turn into a fly to escape only to have the electricity close in further.

Gizmo smiled as he deactivated his mechanical legs and dropped to the ground. "Don't bother, stupid. This baby's linked to you barf-brains' DNA. I've had plenty of opportunities to collect samples over time."

Cyborg's nose flared in anger. "You mean you've been using my DNA?" he shouted. "You better hope I don't get out of this anytime soon, little man! Because, when I do, I'm going to teach you about boundaries!"

"This won't keep us here forever," Robin assured Gizmo.

"We don't need it too, snot-breath," Gizmo sneered.

Mammoth stood and started grabbing piles of money.

Gizmo folded his arms. "It just needs to hold you until we leave. Maybe if your alien girlfriend hadn't left you, you'd be a theat. Without her, you don't stand a chance."

"Let us out and we'd totally stand a chance!" Beast Boy argued.

"And who's going to let you out?" Gizmo taunted with a smile. He glanced at Mammoth. "See? I told you I wouldn't need the battle suit."

"Sorry I'm late," someone said through the Titans' Communicators.

A young woman with pink hair in the shape of a horseshoe cartwheeled through the door to the bank.

…

Jinx stopped, standing in the center of the room between the trapped Titans and her two former partners in crime.

"Jinx," Mammoth said, making his way behind the pink-haired young woman. "I don't suppose you're here to rejoin the H.I.V.E.… um… two… or three?"

"Not that we need you," Gizmo promised. "We're doing just fine on our own."

"You two just don't know when to quit, do you?" Jinx asked with a roll of her eyes. "Let's see if I can say this in a way that you'll understand."

Gizmo nodded at Mammoth. The large man charged.

Jinx's eyes turned bright pink. "No…"

There was a flash of pink as Jinx flicked her right wrist, causing the piles of money on the ground in front of her to flare up into a blizzard of coins and bills, temporarily blinding Gizmo.

Jinx turned slightly, waving her left arm. "Means…"

A large bag of money in front of Mammoth shifted, causing the charging foe to trip.

Jinx gracefully spun to the side. "No!" she completed as she unleashed a kick that sent Mammoth careening into Gizmo as the boy started to rise.

The colliding bodies slammed into Gizmo's machine, breaking the device and releasing the Titans.

"Nice timing," Cyborg said as he cracked his neck. He moved to join Jinx.

"Good work, Jinx," Robin added as the Titans formed up again.

Mammoth and Gizmo slowly rose to their feet.

The Titans leapt into action.

Beast Boy turned into a large elephant and charged at Mammoth.

Gizmo quickly activated the metal wings on his suit.

Mammoth was able to hold the green elephant at bay but was unprepared for a left hook from Cyborg. As Mammoth fell to a knee, Robin leapt from atop a desk and sent a kick to Mammoth's face, knocking the large man out completely.

As Raven advanced and started throwing projectiles, Gizmo hit yet another button on his control panel and holographic clones of himself appeared, concealing his true location.

All the holograms of Gizmo stuck out their tongues. "What are you going to do without your alien to blast me this time?" they taunted.

Jinx stepped forward and raised both hands above her head. Pink rays of light flew from her fingertips and collided with the sprinklers attached to ceiling. The tips of the sprinklers burst apart piece by piece and sprayed water everywhere.

Gizmo looked up as the water went straight through his flying holograms, leaving them unchanged. Gizmo himself however, was soaked.

"Crud!" Gizmo exclaimed.

Raven, now knowing which Gizmo was real, threw the boy to the ground with her magic before tearing off his backpack and throwing it away.

"Now _that's_ fighting like a girl," Jinx said to Raven with a wink.

Raven lowered her hood and nodded her thanks.

A few minutes later, Jinx gathered outside the bank with the Titans as Gizmo and Mammoth were carted into a large, grey police truck.

"So," Beast Boy said, walking up to Jinx. "What's a 'former villain and definitely a hero in my book' like you doin' here?"

"Saw some old friends robbing the bank," Jinx replied simply. "Figured I'd pay them a visit."

"It's good that you showed up when you did," Robin admitted. "They may have gotten away."

"For about two minutes," Cyborg grumbled, glaring at Gizmo.

"Still, it's convenient that you're here," Raven remarked.

"Meaning?" Jinx asked, somewhat nervous about the comment.

"Nothing bad," Robin promised. "We've had a new development and we're looking to recruit a few people for a new team."

"Where's _this_ team going?" Jinx asked, motioning around them. "And where's Starfire?"

Robin opened his mouth to answer when his Communicator chimed. He held up a finger and spoke into the device. "Speedy, what's up?"

Jinx tipped her head to the side. Robin moved away as Cyborg stood aside so the prison van could drive past.

Cyborg looked at Jinx. "So, where's your attachment?"

"At the moment?" Jinx asked. She shrugged. "He's keeping busy. You never answered my question about _Robin's_ attachment."

"Gone," Raven answered.

"Gone…" Jinx repeated, confused.

"She's returned to Tamaran," Cyborg explained.

Jinx glanced at the one of the many holes in the sky, beginning to piece together what the Titans wanted with her.

"Raven," Robin called. "Speedy needs some help, they've got some interdimensional entities in Steel City. He wants to know if you have any input. Beast Boy, make sure these two get back to prison."

Beast Boy nodded and turned into a green cardinal before taking off after the truck.

"I'm going to be leaving soon too," Cyborg said with regret. "It seems I'm one of the leading experts in space travel."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Jinx said with a small smile.

Cyborg pointed toward the repaired and retrofitted T-Car that was parked nearby. "I'll explain more on the way."

Jinx nodded and started moving toward the car when she caught something out of the corner of her eye and turned.

An old woman wearing a black uniform and skirt stood near the entrance to a nearby alley. She had her grey hair in a tight bun. Her blue eyes were stern and alert. She was currently staring straight at Jinx.

The old woman locked eyes with Jinx and shook her head, almost in disappointment, before turning and moving down the alley.

Jinx's eyes widened and she ran after the former H.I.V.E. Headmistress.

"Jinx?" Cyborg called from behind.

Jinx followed the Headmistress into what turned out to be a dead-end alley.

Cyborg skidded to stop, followed closely by Robin.

Jinx, still ignoring the Titans, tugged on a locked door to the right. After a sigh of frustration, she turned and looked down at a sewer grate on the ground in front of her. She glimpsed a flash of grey hair from through the grate.

Jinx knelt and attempted to lift the grate, finding it screwed shut. The young woman slowly pressed down on a spinning screw on the edge of the grate. The screw stopped, tightening itself completely.

"What is it?" Cyborg asked.

"I saw someone I used to know," Jinx grunted.

"Who?" Robin asked.

"The H.I.V.E. Headmistress."

Robin held his chin.

Cyborg glanced at a camera over the door to their right. "Let's get back to the Tower," he suggested. "I can compile some data starting with that camera's footage."

Jinx raised her hand to open the grate using her hexes but found herself hesitating.

Robin shook his head. "Don't bother," he said calmly. "Trust me, if she went down there on _this_ side of town, there's no way to track her."

"Are you sure?" Jinx asked, confused as to why she felt so hesitant to pursue.

"Pretty sure," Robin said with a hint of amusement.

Jinx looked at him, suddenly remembering the day she'd faced off against the Titans for the first time when, due to a combined effort between Gizmo, Mammoth, and herself, Robin had once been lost to the sewers of Jump City. "Right… my bad."

A half hour later, the Titans stood around the central monitor in the living room of Titans Tower.

"This is the data we managed to pull from the flash-freeze prison breakout the other night," Raven explained as she pulled up a grainy image on the monitor.

The image displayed Slade standing with his back to the camera and two villains, recently released, that had moved to stand at his side. One figure was skinnier.

"There wasn't much," Raven finished.

Cyborg glanced at his arm and swiped his fingers across a mini-screen. New images from the camera near the sewer grate that the Headmistress had escaped through appeared on the giant monitor in front of them.

The image, like the image at the prison, only revealed part of the skinny woman's body.

"I'm going to combine the data from both images," Cyborg said as he flicked a few switches and pressed a few buttons. "Hopefully we can get— yup. You were right, Robin."

"What does this mean?" Jinx asked, looking at a computerized version of the Headmistress' face.

"It means she may be working with Slade," Robin said. "Or she may know what he's planning."

"Any suggestions of where to look?" Raven asked Jinx.

"No," Jinx said, shaking her head uneasily.

"We'll find her," Robin said firmly. "When we do, we should be ready."

"Why should we be worried?" Beast Boy asked. "She's just an old lady."

"An old lady that trained _me_ ," Jinx clarified.

"Oh," Beast Boy said, choosing to take a step back and remain silent.

The large monitor flashed yellow and black for a moment before the Headmistress' face appeared.

"Are we being hacked?" Robin asked immediately.

"No," Cyborg said, turning to the computer. "I don't think—"

"Hush, children," the image interrupted sternly. "I knew you would look at this data eventually. So, I encrypted this message into the ally camera."

Jinx stepped forward.

The Headmistress spoke calmly. "This is meant for my former protégé," she said, seeming to look Jinx in the eye through the monitor. "You have turned your back on everything you have been taught. I am _ashamed_."

Jinx gulped but refused to turn away from the screen.

"However," the Headmistress' message continued. "I believe that there is still a chance for you. So I suggest you return to your roots, _Jinx_. There is something I want to show you. I know your new 'friends' will come as well. And I welcome it. I shall see you shortly."

The screen cut to black and returned to normal.

Everyone turned to Jinx.

"Return to your roots?" Raven inquired.

Jinx shook her head but stood tall. "It's just another mind game. It was one of her main tactics in teaching."

"Mind games are nothing new to us," Beast Boy commented.

"Mind games or not," Robin interrupted as he stepped forward. "She just gave you a clue to her location."

"It's probably a trap," Cyborg cautioned.

"Oh, it's definitely a trap," Jinx confirmed, folding her arms. "And if the Headmistress is setting it, it's not one that I want to spring."

"Why?" Robin asked.

Jinx looked down and didn't answer, still unsure of where her constant uneasiness was coming from.

"Then let us spring it," Cyborg offered kindly, placing a hand on Jinx's shoulder. "Just give us a location. We'll take care of it."

Jinx slowly nodded. "She's hiding out at the old H.I.V.E. Academy," she finally said. "The one you tracked me to when Brother Blood was in charge."

"Any ideas on what she has waiting for us?" Raven asked.

"Probably everything," Jinx said as she fidgeted with her necklaces. "Especially if she's in the old Master's office. There's one hallway in, one hallway out. She could have anything set up."

Robin nodded and turned to his team. "Let's get moving."

Raven drew her hood over her head as she and Beast Boy walked to the door behind Robin.

Jinx ignored them and lowered her gaze until she felt pressure on her shoulder.

Cyborg slowly lowered his hand. "Nobody'll be mad if we don't see you there," he said quietly. "If we could beat Brother Blood, we can easily handle the Headmistress."

"Thanks," Jinx said. She shook her head and looked out the window.

"Something's bothering you," Cyborg said. It wasn't a question.

"I don't know what it is," Jinx admitted. "I mean, when Madam Rogue made me mad, I was able to handle her just fine. But the Headmistress… my teachers always have a way of turning my world against me."

Cyborg lowered his voice. "Having been a former athlete and an undercover agent… I can understand the pull of power when the offer comes out of the right mouths the right way."

"You were never tempted," Jinx argued. "You were always a hero, no matter what you were pretending. Me… it's been a long road."

"I had friends to help me stay a hero," Cyborg replied calmly. "And I had a home to come back to."

Jinx looked away again, unsure what to say.

"Speaking of which," Cyborg said lightly. "If you're gonna to stick around, maybe you should make yourself at home. Starfire's room is pretty clean. You can move in anytime you like."

"You want _me_ to stay in the Tower?" Jinx asked.

"Better than a lonely hotel," Cyborg said with a shrug. "Trust me, Star would want her room to be used."

"I'll think about it," Jinx said after a moment.

"Cyborg," Robin called through the screen on Cyborg's arm. "You comin'?"

"On my way," Cyborg answered.

"Good luck," Jinx said.

"See you in a bit or when we get back from kicking more bad guy butt," Cyborg said with a cocky grin.

Jinx turned and walked through the Tower until she's reached Starfire's old room. She was shocked to find two bags on the floor in front of the door.

The bags contained all her clothes. There was a note attached to one of them. Once again, it was written in haste.

Hi again, slow-poke

Robin called late last night and I heard you may be moving in. I took the liberty of dropping off your stuff on my way to Gotham a few minutes ago. Have fun while I'm gone!

As always, the note was signed with a lightning bolt.

Jinx smiled and touched the necklace around her neck before opening the door to Starfire's room.

Jinx hesitated yet again but was still unsure why. She closed the door without entering and sighed, sitting down against the wall. After a few seconds, Jinx slowly grabbed the Titans Communicator off her hip, staring at the 'T' symbol on top. _I'm a Titan, Not H.I.V.E. I'm a Titan._

Jinx opened the Communicator, tapped the screen a few times, and attempted to make a call. After a few seconds, the Communicator attempted to connect a call to Gotham. A half second later, the Communicator flashed and "RE-ROUTING" appeared on the screen. Then the Communicator attempted to connect to Virginia. Then North Carolina. Then South Carolina. Then Georgia. The Communicator re-routed to Florida before an error message appeared.

Jinx canceled the call with a grunt. _He needs to learn to slow down every once in a while._

After a few seconds of thought, Jinx made another call. The Communicator connected her to Steel City.

"Jinx?" asked the young woman who answered.

"Hey, Rose," Jinx said, standing up.

The young woman on the Communicator's screen had long white hair and blue eyes. She wore yellow and orange combat armor and currently had two katana's strapped to her back. Her black boots were neatly tied.

Unlike when Jinx had first met the daughter of Slade, Rose now had an air of confidence and self-assurance about her and there was no trace of her mask, be it one of anger and aggression or the physical mask that she'd formerly worn in honor of her father prior to joining the Titans.

"I need your advice," Jinx finally said. "In private."

"One sec," Rose answered. She adjusted something off-screen and a second later, only her head was visible on the Communicator's monitor. "I've never seen you nervous before. What's this about?"

Jinx was unsure of how to start. She began to pace as she spoke. "Robin wants me join his team."

"Good," Rose replied happily. "You're perfect."

"I don't think so," Jinx replied quietly.

"And you're doubting yourself," Rose observed with surprise. "That's a first too."

"Someone's come back into my life," Jinx attempted to explain. She let out a breath and stopped pacing. "Someone who trained me… _controlled_ me. Robin and the rest of them are taking her down now."

"But you're not," Rose stated without judgment.

"She wants me to come," Jinx said. "She wants to show me something. She wants me to join her again."

"Are you thinking about it?" Rose asked.

"No," Jinx said firmly. "But… she's somehow always known me better than me. She can get under my skin and both of us know it."

There was a small hesitation on the other end of the line before Rose spoke. "What do you want to ask me?"

"Slade's resurfaced," Jinx said. She sighed. "I'm sure you've heard by know."

"And?" Rose pressed, stiffening slightly at the mention of her father's name.

"If Slade came to Steel City," Jinx said slowly. "And he wanted you to join him, what would you do?"

Rose sighed and her voice held some disappointment. "I'd let someone else handle him. Not that he's approached me. I mean, why would he start now?"

"But if he _did_ approach you," Jinx pressed.

"Honestly?" Rose said. She hesitated again before letting out a breath. "I'd run. I may not know him, but he's still my father. He may very well know me better than anyone. And I'm not sure I'm ready to face him. That's why I turned Robin down last night when he offered me a spot in Jump City."

"I'm sorry," Jinx said, believing that Rose would have made a great addition to the team.

"Don't be," Rose replied with a smile. "They found someone just as good, if not better. And… I've got a team."

Behind Rose, alarms started blaring and the walls started to flash red and black.

"Speaking of which," Rose said with a grin.

"Let's go, people!" Jinx heard Bumblebee shout off screen.

Rose held the Communicator away from herself slightly.

Behind Rose, Jinx saw Bumblebee flying by with Aqualad and the fast-moving twins, Más y Menos running close behind. Lastly Speedy slid by, flashing Rose a small smile.

The smile Rose gave Speedy in return made Jinx grab the lightning bolt necklace around her own neck.

"Listen, I gotta go," Rose said quickly, turning back to Jinx. "My advice is that if you feel you can… You need to face her. Show her, show yourself, show the world who you truly are. Otherwise, it's only going to hold you back from being who _you_ want to be."

Jinx looked down for a split second before returning her gaze to the Communicator.

"But, like you said to me when we first met," Rose continued. "You have a choice. You'll know when you're ready. And one day, I may have to make that choice myself. Good luck, Jinx."

The screen went black.

"You too," Jinx said softly.

After a few seconds, Jinx slowly opened the door to Starfire's room. She still couldn't bring herself to step inside. Instead, she looked beyond the room and out the window at the darkening sky.

…

The Headmistress leaned back in her chair and hit a few buttons under her desk. The yellow walls surrounding the dark office started to flip around and a few cameras and monitors that had been repaired by the Headmistress turned on.

The Headmistress leaned forward as she spotted four figures entering the mostly destroyed compound. Not spotting the young woman she was looking for, the Headmistress nodded to herself and held down another button under the desk.

"They're here," the Headmistress said simply. "Be ready."

"Yes, Ma'am," someone replied.

The Headmistress released the button and leaned back in her chair again.

…

The Titans made their way through the old H.I.V.E. Academy. The area was mostly dark, and rubble surrounded them. But their path, their exact and only path, as Cyborg was quick to point out, was clear.

Currently, Cyborg was using a shoulder flashlight to guide them through a long, curving hallway.

"Okay…" Beast Boy started. "Not that I _want_ anything to happen…"

"Which means it will," Cyborg grunted.

"Not helping," Raven said dryly.

Beast Boy sighed dramatically. "As I was saying," he said loudly. "Not that I _want_ anything to happen, but how is it that were walking down a hallway that was completely caved in when we left, but now it's not?"

"Let's not tempt fate," Robin said from next to Cyborg. "Stay sharp."

"BB's got a point, though," Cyborg said.

Behind them, Beast Boy gave Raven a toothy grin.

Raven wasn't paying attention. "This isn't natural," she said quietly.

"What is these days?" Cyborg countered.

"Um…" Beast Boy said, pointing up at the ceiling as they turned another corner into a long hallway. "Not _that_."

Cyborg widened the range on his shoulder's flashlight.

Upon closer inspection, the recently repaired floors, walls, and ceiling were seemingly held together by thin lines of green and yellow. In some cases, it seemed their environment was held together only by the colorful substance.

Robin moved forward and slowly reached out with a hand, touching a cracked tile on the wall. The tile crumbled under Robin's touch and the green and yellow substance widened, taking the tile's place completely.

"We need to keep moving," Robin said, taking a step back. He looked at Cyborg and nodded.

Cyborg moved to step forward again. Just before his foot touched the ground, a flash of pink hit the tile, the additional pressure of energy causing it to crumble to dust.

"Don't move," a voice behind them said calmly. "This isn't just another hallway."

…

Jinx walked out of the darkness and into the light.

The Titans openly sighed in relief.

"Glad you could make it," Cyborg said with a smile.

"Next time, try not to give us a heart attack," Beast Boy added.

"It's good that you're here," Robin said, throwing a glare in Beast Boy's direction. "We'll need your help."

"Do you have any idea what this is?" Raven asked, pointing at the substance holding the room together.

Jinx examined the substance for a moment. "Let's find out, shall we?"

The other Titans braced themselves.

Jinx slowly reached toward the wall, her hand pulsating with pink energy. As her hand came into contact with the wall, there was slight energy pop that pushed her hand away. Jinx repeated the process with more power. The next energy pop pushed her back a step.

"Interesting," Robin said, standing next to Jinx. "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"No," Jinx answered truthfully. "But I don't like it."

"Then neither do we," Cyborg said.

"What does your scanner say about the path ahead?" Robin asked.

"It says there's a large room past this hallway. Beyond that is the Master's Office," Cyborg answered.

"That's where she'll be," Jinx said.

"Seem simple…" Raven commented skeptically.

"It's not," Jinx agreed, striding to the head of the group. "Look at the walls."

Cyborg shined his flashlight again. "She's right," he said. "The walls and floors are different here. They look less like tile and more like moveable panels."

"So what are we really looking at?" Robin asked.

"Turrets," Jinx answered. "Lots of them on the walls, ceiling, and floor. This hallway was used as exams for the alpha students. It was also constantly under surveillance. The Master's would use the recordings as a way of offering H.I.V.E. services."

"Really? Well, that's easy enough," Cyborg said dramatically. "Anything else we should expect?"

"Well, I doubt the Headmistress has the mechs working," Jinx answered lightly. "Slade took most of them the night he opened the voids in the sky."

"How would you know that?" Beast Boy asked.

"A smart girl does her research," Jinx replied.

"And how would 'a smart girl' get down this hallway without getting blown to bits?" Raven asked.

"Bait," Jinx answered, pointing at the walls. "The turrets are motion activated. We won't know where they are until they're shooting at us."

"That sounds like a terrible plan!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "I mean, in order to activate the turrets without getting shot, you'd have to be as fast as a… oooohhhh maaaan!"

"After you," Raven said, stepping aside for Beast Boy.

"We could always rename you 'Glorious Bait'," Cyborg said, ruffling Beast Boy's hair as the green Titan turned into a cheetah. Cyborg got his sonic cannon ready. "It suited you pretty well when we were playing Mega Monkeys 4 and Mega Monkeys 4.2."

The cheetah turned and hissed at Cyborg for a moment before crouching low.

Robin gazed at the curving hallway beyond. "Alright, Raven, stay close to Beast Boy and keep him covered. Cyborg, you take the ceiling turrets. I'll take the floor. Jinx, think you can handle the walls?"

"I've done it before," Jinx said confidently, readying herself.

Beast Boy pounced, bounding down the hallway as fast as he could with Raven flying close behind.

As expected, the floor, walls, and ceiling started to shift with some tiles flipping over, turning around, or extending, revealing turrets that started to shoot yellow ovals of energy.

As Beast Boy ran as fast as he could, Raven did her best to deflect as much of the lasers back to their sources as possible. Robin ran forward with his staff and started smashing the turrets on the floor one at a time. Cyborg moved close behind, his sonic cannon flashing.

Jinx, smiling with anticipation, ran forward as well. With each wave of her arms, one of the turrets on the walls shorted out with bursts of electricity and fell apart.

Remarkably, the broken walls held due to the green and yellow substance.

As Robin stopped to hop on top of a final floor turret and Cyborg turned to deal with the turrets that had appeared behind them, Jinx moved forward and ran around the curve in the hallway.

Beast Boy and Raven had reached the door on the far end and were currently keeping the turrets along the walls occupied with small shields created by Raven. Beast Boy remained in his cheetah form, methodically taking down turrets one by one.

Jinx's eyes glowed pink as she began to flip and twirl down the hall, throwing out bursts of bad luck as she moved.

When the smoke cleared, the hallway was quiet and all the turrets had been destroyed.

"Booya!" Cyborg said as he and Robin joined Jinx, Beast Boy, and Raven. "Titans destroy H.I.V.E. Academy defenses once again!"

Robin gave Jinx a nod of respect as she turned to the door leading into the next room.

"What's next?" Beast Boy asked.

"I don't know," Jinx answered honestly. "I've never gone beyond the door."

Robin strode forward. "Cyborg, get it open."

Cyborg nodded and leveled his sonic cannon, blowing the door off its hinges.

The massive area that the Titans now entered was almost completely empty aside from a large, square pit in the middle of the room. The pit looked to be about ten feet deep. Beyond the pit was another door that led to the Master's Office.

Before the Titans could say a word, there was a large flash in the opposite corner of the room and the power went out, leaving them in complete darkness.

Cyborg shouted in pain and surprise as his entire body started to short circuit and he fell into the pit, his red eye growing dim as his blue-lit body parts turned grey and black.

"Cyborg!" Robin shouted. He jumped into the pit, throwing aside his shorted out electric discs and gadgets.

Jinx heard Raven raise her voice in the darkness. "Azarath Metrion Zinth— Ahh!"

The lights in the room came back on, lightning up the yellow and black walls.

A yellow and black hexagon shaped shield with an 'H' at its center sailed away from the now falling Raven.

Just before the Titan hit the ground, Beast Boy turned into a lion and caught Raven between his paws. He quickly turned himself and landed on his back before laying the young woman safely on the ground and resuming his human form.

Across the room, Sergeant HIVE walked out of the shadows. The muscular, militaristic former member of H.I.V.E. Academy, Brotherhood of Evil, leader of the Army Brats, and now a merc for hire, stood tall in the face of his greatest adversaries.

The majority of the soldier's body was covered in black and blue armor. Sergeant HIVE's mask, boots, and gloves were yellow and shined brightly in the dim light. Upon his chest, he wore the crest of a yellow 'H' surrounded by a hexagon. He had a similar symbol on his yellow belt that held up the same color tights.

"Remote E.M.P.," Sergeant HIVE grunted, holding up a small electronic device. He pressed a button and the lights shut off. After a second, he pressed on the device again and the lights returned. "Not much. But its first burst of power is enough to keep your mechanical asset at bay for a while."

"Cyborg's not an 'asset'!" Beast Boy snapped as he placed a finger on Raven's neck to make sure she was breathing. He returned to Robin's side as Jinx jumped into the pit. Beast Boy clenched his fists. "He's our friend!"

"Something you wouldn't know much about," Jinx added, stopping beside Cyborg's motionless form.

"That's funny coming from _you_ ," Sergeant HIVE countered, hitting a button on his wrist and drawing his shield to his right hand. He jumped into the pit. "Deserter."

Jinx didn't reply.

"I thought you didn't take orders anymore, _Private_ HIVE," Robin taunted as he motioned to the door behind the soldier.

"It's Sergeant!" the soldier corrected loudly.

"We're going to see the Headmistress," Robin continued, reaching for his belt. "Be smart and surrender now."

"The only one getting by me is the Deserter," Sergeant HIVE spat. "Special request from the Headmistress."

Robin flicked his wrist and threw an explosive disc at Sergeant HIVE. The villain deflected the disc with his shield into the wall behind him.

Jinx gasped as the doorway began to collapse. As Robin and Beast Boy charged, Jinx ran toward the collapsing doorway leading to the Headmistress. She slid through the doorway as it collapsed completely.

Halfway through, the rubble was slowed down by the green and yellow energy that currently held the academy together. The second Jinx was through, the door was repaired and latched by the substance.

Jinx rose to her feet to find herself in the Mater's office.

…

Robin unleashed a punch. Sergeant HIVE dodged a charging Beast Boy with a flip and used his shield to deflect Robin's blow.

Beast Boy resumed his human form and ran toward Sergeant HIVE, sliding under a swipe of the shield before turning into a snake and wrapping himself around the soldiers' legs. The soldier stumbled slightly and was kicked off his feet by Robin.

Beast Boy resumed his human form again and jumped, turning into an ape with raised fists. Sergeant HIVE rolled out of the way as the fists smashed into the ground. Dodging another punch from Robin, Sergeant HIVE quickly swung with his shield and knocked Beast Boy off his feet.

"Beast Boy!" Robin called, jumping over another blow and releasing a punch that knocked Sergeant HIVE back a step. "We can't beat him alone with his E.M.P. device! See what you can do for Cyborg and Raven!"

"What about Jinx?" Beast Boy asked as he moved toward Raven.

Raven stirred slightly as he touched her shoulder.

Cyborg remained dark in the middle of the pit.

Robin ducked under another blow and jumped, kicking Sergeant HIVE off his feet.

Sergeant HIVE stood quickly. "Is that the best you can do?"

"Jinx is on her own," Robin replied to Beast Boy.

…

Jinx walked to the center of the office.

The Headmistress sat at the desk, her grey hair still bound up into a tight bun. "It seems the best student and worst graduate of H.I.V.E. Academy has returned," the old woman said calmly.

"I was always the best from H.I.V.E." Jinx said bravely. "I just found that I was a better hero than a villain."

"Is that why you're here?" the Headmistress asked. "To stop the villain?"

"I'm here to show you that you don't control me anymore," Jinx replied.

…

Robin glanced behind him and saw Beast Boy run up to Cyborg. Robin returned his gaze to Sergeant HIVE just in time to dodge another rough kick to the chest.

Robin quickly grabbed Sergeant HIVE's leg and gave the soldier a sharp uppercut, knocking the soldier off his feet again.

Sergeant HIVE gritted his teeth. He reached into his belt and grabbed a small optic device, placing it over his left eye. As the optic lit up green, Sergeant HIVE hit the E.M.P. device again, bringing darkness to the room.

…

You've just lost your way," the Headmistress said to Jinx, standing up. "Yet, here you are, still talking. That means you're really not as sure about your path as you think. I'm here to help you find the right path again."

"Not happening," Jinx said.

"Indeed?" the Headmistress replied, tipping her head.

Jinx waved her arm and the carpet under the desk was ripped outward, flinging the desk and its contents at the Headmistress. Just as the desk was about to collide with the old woman, a chunk of the ceiling fell, stopping the projectile in its path and leaving the sneering woman unharmed.

Jinx took a small step back in confusion. While her powers had been dodged or avoided, they'd never been countered.

"It's not a machine that's doing this," Jinx said, looking at the wall that was still being held together with the green and yellow energy. "It's you. You've got powers too."

"Yes," the Headmistress confirmed. "I've been cursed with the power of good, even though the world saw me as bad. That is why I chose you."

"Chose me?" Jinx asked,

The old woman nodded, taking a step closer to Jinx. "When I created the H.I.V.E. Academy all those years ago and eventually brought you here, I knew that your powers could make you greater than most of those who'd been through this school," she explained with both pride and bitterness in her voice. "You could be who you were meant to be. In fact, this place was created to help all young villains be who they were meant to be."

"Whether they would have chosen it for themselves or not," Jinx retorted. "H.I.V.E. was all I'd ever known. Maybe if I'd been given—"

"What one never knows," the Headmistress interrupted. "Can never harm."

"You're right," Jinx said, refusing to back down. "As children we were bred and trained to harm. But I'm a big girl, now. I'm embracing my powers and using them to become the hero that I want to—"

"And I want you to become the villain you _should_ be!" the Headmistress snapped loudly. "Your powers give you strength over your enemies! However, your weakness is your empathy for those _beneath_ you!"

"If that were true," Jinx said, stepping forward. "Then the Brotherhood of Evil would have won. But when I fought them, they lost. What does that say about _my_ weakness?"

The Headmistress sighed. "As I said before, it is obvious that you are not here to fight me, or you would have ended this pointless debate. Why are you truly here?"

Jinx folded her arms. "I wanted to look into the face of my teacher and tell her that I am a Titan now and that's not going to change."

"And when the Titans fall?" the Headmistress asked, moving to a monitor on the wall that had begun to light up.

"They won't," Jinx promised.

"You overestimate your new 'friends'," the Headmistress stated.

"You underestimate the Titans," Jinx replied.

"Do I?" the Headmistress asked.

The monitor on the wall turned on to reveal what was happening in the training room outside of the office. The darkness was illuminated in great detail by bright shades of green.

The Headmistress stood beside Jinx and spoke as they began to watch the battle. "Let us examine that claim."

…

Robin, unable to see the soaring shield in the darkness, felt a sharp pain in his chest as he was slammed off his feet yet again.

"That was for the chicken pox," Sergeant HIVE grunted in the darkness.

"Cy!" Beast Boy was calling from somewhere to Robin's left. "Cy, wake up! We kinda need some backup here!"

Robin back-rolled to his feet and jumped into a flip, only to be hit by the shield once again and before falling hard to the ground.

…

You see," the Headmistress said, placing a hand on Jinx's shoulder. "Slade revealed himself only a day ago and already the Titans are divided around the world and therefore shall fall. Just as they did when you first battled them, then when Slade took over the city, and then yet again with the Brotherhood of Evil. The Titans always fall."

"And they always get back up," Jinx said, shrugging off the Headmistress' hand and forcing herself to look away from the monitor. "Just like they will now."

The Headmistress shook her head. "Such a disappointment you are," she said softly.

"I'm _not_ a disappointment!" Jinx shouted with a flash of anger. "I'm _exactly_ who I want to be!"

Jinx flicked her wrist. A ray of pink light danced past the Headmistress and hit the wall, sending an energy wave back toward them that knocked Jinx off her feet.

"You're bad luck," the still standing Headmistress stated, repeating what she'd always told Jinx during her studies. "Good is not an option for you. You can never truly be a hero."

Jinx shook her head.

"Your powers can only destroy. They cannot bring about life," the Headmistress continued. "Yet, you've chosen to side with those who will inevitably lose. I'm here to offer you the choice of your lifetime. Join Slade in his plans. Be who I taught you to be."

Jinx rose to a knee.

The Headmistress offered Jinx a hand.

Jinx slowly rose to her feet, taking a glance at the monitor to see Robin get slammed to the floor again as Beast Boy tried in vain to awake Cyborg. Raven continued to stir.

Jinx slowly turned, looking at the Headmistress' outstretched hand. She shook her head again, batted the hand aside, and jumped before lashing out with a foot. The kick was easily blocked with a flick of the Headmistress' wrist.

Jinx found herself being thrown over the desk and she landed on the floor.

The lightning bolt necklace fell upon the desk.

"Unlike your 'friends' in the pit," the Headmistress said calmly, shaking out her hand lazily. "I am willing to use my powers to their best potential. Bad has always come easily for you. Why not embrace it again? You could defeat me."

Jinx refused to give up or give in. "You want me to embrace my powers because they're 'bad'," she grunted, rising to a knee again. "What does that say about _you_ and _your_ 'good powers'? You never tried to do a good thing in your life."

The Headmistress gritted her teeth and marched forward. The ceiling and walls began to fall apart and rapidly repair themselves as she shouted. "I tried to do _many_ good things! Build! Repair! Salvage! Save!"

Jinx allowed herself a small smirk. She knew she'd hit her mark.

The Headmistress continued her shouting. "I was the first _real_ hero of Jump City years ago. And you know what I got for it? _Nothing_!"

The final flare of emotion caused the ceiling above the Headmistress's head to collapse completely. A gust of wind came from nowhere and threw the rubble away from the old woman.

Jinx managed to stand her ground against her old teacher and even took a step forward.

The Headmistress strode forward as all the monitors in the room turned on, revealing static. "I only ever did 'good'! Yet, I was _shunned_. I was called _spoiled_!"

More of the ceiling fell apart and was left supported only by magic.

"I was told that everything came easy to me!" the Headmistress continued. "I was told that I was an overentitled young woman who only did 'good' to _flaunt_ her powers!"

Jinx continued to stand her ground.

The Headmistress finally calmed herself and the room went still. A small tear fell down her face and was instantly replaced by a look of both longing and loathing.

Jinx slowly reached for her lightning bolt necklace that still rested on the desk. "You trained me to be the villain that you never could be."

The Headmistress looked Jinx in the eye.

Jinx smiled slightly. "And you're right. I could be a great villain," she admitted. "My power may be bad luck, but yours is inherently good. Yet you _chose_ to stop using it the way you should. _I_ choose to be different."

The Headmistress's fingers twitched with yellow and green energy.

Jinx took another step forward and motioned to the monitor that displayed the ongoing battle outside the office, holding her necklace in her hand.

…

Robin was thrown to the floor yet again and rolled to the side just in time to dodge another blow from Sergeant HIVE's shield.

Robin flipped forward a few times to regain his focus in the complete darkness. After taking a short breath, he closed his eyes, chanting to himself. "Look beyond what I see…"

A second later, Robin felt rather than heard Sergeant HIVE charging from the left. As the soldier swung with his shield again, Robin dodged to the side with the fluidity of a snake before lashing out with both hands, his fingers pointed outward. The blow knocked Sergeant HIVE back a few steps.

The soldier shook his head and turned the lights back on to regain his sense of direction, confused by the seemingly impossible counterattack.

Robin called out as Sergeant HIVE turned the lights off half a second later. "Beast Boy, hurry up!"

…

Beast Boy groaned as Cyborg remained still.

Robin grunted in the darkness.

Beast Boy sighed, feeling he was down to his last option. "Please don't give him another virus," he chanted. "Please don't give him another virus."

Beast Boy closed his eyes and turned into an electric eel, landing on Cyborg's back. There was a burst of blue and green electricity as Cyborg started to light up.

With a bright and loud pop of electricity, Beast Boy was thrown backward across the pit, landing on his back next to Raven.

Cyborg's red eye lit up.

…

Robin dodged three consecutive blows from Sergeant HIVE's shield and dove forward, swiping the EMP device from the soldier's belt and hitting the button.

The lights came on as the shield flew toward Robin again. Robin spun away from the projectile but was unprepared for a follow-up punch that sent him to his knees in the middle of the pit.

Sergeant HIVE kicked Robin to the floor and retrieved the shield, raising it for one final blow.

Suddenly, the shield was no longer there. It hovered near the ceiling of the room, supported by black and white magic.

Robin looked over and saw Raven rising to a knee, her right hand held out to keep her magical hold over the shield. As Robin looked back at Sergeant HIVE, the soldier was shot off his feet by a blue sonic blast.

Cyborg's cannon turned back into a hand as he marched toward the winded soldier, cracking his knuckles. "It's payback time!" the Titan exclaimed.

Cyborg charged forward, throwing out a left, a right, another left, and then a right uppercut that sent Sergeant HIVE slamming into the wall. The soldier finally fell to the ground, unconscious.

Cyborg helped Robin to his feet and glanced at Beast Boy. "Yo, BB! Thanks for the jumpstart, man!"

"No crazy food cravings, right?" Beast Boy asked.

Cyborg shook his head.

Raven weakly rose to her feet and looked at Beast Boy. "Did you know the electric eel would work?" she asked.

Beast Boy shrugged coyly and didn't answer.

"Where's Jinx?" Cyborg asked, looking around.

…

"I guess you were wrong," Jinx said to the Headmistress. The young Titan waved her arm, shorting out the screen on the wall with a burst of electricity. "Anything else to say before class is out of session?"

The Headmistress started breathing in and out through her nose, teeming with anger and disbelief.

"I've made my choice," Jinx said calmly, stepping forward and placing the lightning bolt necklace back around her neck. "I choose the path of the hero. It's time you made _your_ final choice."

Jinx turned and strode to the center of the office.

The Headmistress slowly turned to face her former student.

"You can go back to jail willingly, or you can test your luck against my own," Jinx said boldly. She once again stood tall as she continued speaking. "Just keep in mind that while I may be 'bad luck', my karma's got a pretty good score right now."

The Headmistress' eyes narrowed.

"What do you think about _your_ chances?" Jinx finished.

The Headmistress looked at the lightning bolt necklace around Jinx's neck.

Jinx half smiled, placing her right hand on her hip as her left hand pulsated with energy.

After a few seconds, the Headmistress sighed and shook her head. "Such a disappointment," she repeated softly.

"Depends on your point of view," Jinx replied.

The Headmistress lunged forward, both hands flowing with energy.

Jinx stepped forward to meet her foe.

…

Cyborg stood next to Robin as Beast Boy helped Raven to her feet. After exiting the pit, they all turned to the office door.

"Think our girl could use some help?" Cyborg asked.

Before Robin could answer, a series of lights began to flash under the office door. Seconds later, the light grew, penetrating the door in a burst of green, pink, yellow, and white. There was a sudden silence as the colors combined into a bright tan before turning to a blinding white.

Robin's eyes widened. "Get ba—"

The door exploded outward, blowing an unidentifiable figure and the unconscious Sergeant HIVE into the center of the pit.

The Titans looked up to see Jinx walking out of the fading white light of the office.

"Looks like you should've done some more studying," Jinx said, jumping into the pit and stopping over the Headmistress and Sergeant HIVE, keeping a hand on her hip. "Care to retake the course?"

The Headmistress slowly rolled over to stare at Jinx.

"Where is Slade?" Jinx asked, kneeling.

"What is he planning?" Robin added as he and the rest of the Titans joined Jinx.

"I don't know the answer to… either question," the Headmistress answered weakly, seemingly fighting to stay conscious. She looked Jinx in the eye. "Don't ask, don't tell. You should know that rule."

Cyborg glanced at his arm, giving the Headmistress a quick lie detector scan. "It says she's not lying."

"She's not," Jinx confirmed.

"I can only tell you that he won't leave… loose ends this time," the Headmistress continued, breathing deeply. "No apprentices… to betray him. No team to… stop him. Slade… will win."

Robin held his chin for a moment before shaking his head. He turned to Raven. "It's time to go," he said calmly. "Can you teleport us out of here?"

"I need another minute," Raven answered weakly as Beast Boy looked around at the yellow and green substance still holding the walls together.

"One more question," Jinx said to the Headmistress. "Before you clock out, answer me this. Our powers aren't exactly compatible on a physical level, so that explains today. But, if your power is luck, how did you get flash-frozen in the first place when you were with the Brotherhood of Evil."

The Headmistress chuckled before lying back on the ground. "Ironically, the Brain's fusion device should have obliterated us all. Perhaps… in some way, my power kept that from happening. Or perhaps… my power, unlike yours, has its limits."

"Uhh, guys…" Beast Boy said, staring at the walls.

The yellow and green energy began to fade.

The Headmistress smiled weakly. "Let's see… how long… _all_ of… our luck… holds… out…"

The Headmistress slumped, finally going unconscious.

The green and yellow substance disappeared completely.

The walls and ceiling began to collapse.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven said quickly, throwing a shield around both the Titans and the unconscious villains. She looked to her team. "I can't keep this up very long."

"Is there another way out of here?" Cyborg asked Jinx as debris started to hammer on the shield.

Jinx shook her head then looked up. "There's one," she said. She looked at Raven. "I need you to open up some of that shield."

"But the sky is falling!" Beast Boy reminded Jinx.

"We just need to outlast it," Jinx explained. She pointed at the debris crumbling to the ground. "Help me destroy as much as possible."

Cyborg and Robin looked at each other and nodded simultaneously.

"Better than being crushed," Cyborg said, his arm turning into a sonic cannon again.

Robin started grabbing explosive discs from his belt. "Just give us as much time as you can, Raven."

Beast Boy turned into a T-Rex in order to provide Raven with as much cover from the falling debris as possible.

Raven nodded and opened the shield slightly.

Jinx gathered as much power as she could and sent it upward, destroying the debris as some of it fell through the hole while the rest pounded on the shield. Cyborg shot his cannon as Robin threw his discs.

For a full twenty seconds, the three Titans destroyed the ceiling as it fell toward them. Slowly, but surely, the falling debris began to lessen.

With one final grunt of exertion, Jinx swept her hands above her, her magic applying pressure to a particularly large piece of debris that crumbled to dust as it fell through the shield. As Raven's shield vanished, the Titans knelt in relief and exhaustion, leaving them surrounded by a starry sky that was punctuated with voids.

…

Jinx and Cyborg stopped in front of Starfire's old room. The day had finally dawned with a bright sun.

"Nice work with the Headmistress," Cyborg said.

"Let's just hope she stays in prison this time," Jinx replied.

"Well, since you allowed me to combine some of my tech with your powers to create a prison cell," Cyborg grunted. "I doubt that'll be much of a problem."

Jinx nodded but didn't make a reply.

"You definitely earned that Communicator today, Jinx," Cyborg said, pointing to the device that rested on Jinx's hip. "Welcome to the team."

"Thanks," Jinx said with pride. "It's good to have a team again. A _better_ team."

"So, you plannin' on unpacking this time," Cyborg asked, motioning to the luggage still piled up next to the door.

"I was thinking about it," Jinx admitted.

Cyborg thought for a moment. "So, I don't suppose I can get _one_ more favor from you."

"I think you've still got a few fights that I have to make up for," Jinx said with a shrug, folding her arms. "What do you need?"

"I want you meet someone," Cyborg said, rubbing the back of his head. "A… friend of mine. She's probably not going to be happy that I'm leaving. I was hoping you could meet her and maybe…"

"Maybe keep her company while you're gone?" Jinx asked. She smiled. "I'll do it. But exactly what kind of friend is this?"

Cyborg opened his mouth to reply but stopped when a flash of yellow and red blew between them, opening and closing the door to Starfire's old room. When they turned, Jinx's luggage was gone.

They listened for a moment and heard noise from behind the closed door. A few seconds later, the noise stopped and the yellow and red blur blew out the door, traveled down the hall, and disappeared from sight.

Jinx fiddled with her lightning bolt necklace for a moment.

" _That_ kind of friend," Cyborg answered. He motioned behind him. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to kick BB's butt in a video game before we take off."

"Good luck," Jinx said.

Cyborg walked away.

Jinx turned to the door behind her. She took a deep breath and entered the room to find it changed.

The bed boards were now intricately laced with roses. The sheets and blankets were purple with traces of light pink. The transparent blue curtains let in a soft ray of sunlight that illuminated the dark purple carpet and light pink walls. Jinx's clothes were neatly folded and set on the bed.

On the desk beside the bed was a clock, a stone bowl, and a stone vase. The bowl was for holding Jinx's necklaces and the vase already held a single rose.

Jinx smiled, put her clothes away, and exited her room.

As Jinx walked into the living room, she saw Robin and Raven off to the side looking over a few files at a nearby computer station.

Cyborg and Beast Boy sat on the couch playing a video game on their Gamestation4.

On the screen was a light blue racetrack. The background was a darker shade of blue than the track and made it easy to see the two winged vehicles on the screen.

One vehicle, Cyborg's presumably, had blue-tipped wings and was white with a blue stripe down the middle and held a rectangular rear thruster. The other vehicle, Beast Boy's, had two thrusters at the end of each wing and was mostly green with a purple stripe down the middle.

"Two ties in a row?" Cyborg said loudly in surprise. "On a best two out of three with a win each, we got two ties in a row?"

Beast Boy set up the next race without a word.

Jinx walked forward and stood behind the couch. She glanced over at Raven and Robin and spotted an image of a red substance depicted on the screen before Raven hit a button and the image changed again.

Jinx turned back to the video game as both Cyborg and Beast Boy's vehicles reached the end of the race simultaneously.

"Aww, come on!" Cyborg exclaimed. He shook his head. "BB, you totally had that! That was an easy last turn! It's like you slowed down to… to…"

Beast Boy stared straight ahead, his face unreadable.

Jinx raised a knowing eyebrow.

Cyborg slowly turned and looked at Beast Boy, speaking quietly but firmly. "Beast Boy, are you losing on purpose?"

"No," Beast Boy said, starting the next race.

Cyborg paused the game and set down his controller. "Beast Boy," he said in calm warning.

Beast Boy didn't reply.

"Just because I'm leaving doesn't mean we're never going to speak to each other again, man," Cyborg said calmly. He looked at the television. "This isn't the end."

"Starfire left," Beast Boy said softly, not looking at Cyborg. "Now you're leaving too. The one who tries to understand my jokes left. And now the one who will play video games with me is leaving too."

"Hey," Cyborg said gently.

Beast Boy looked over.

Cyborg smiled and ruffled Beast Boy's hair. "Starfire'll be back too. And I will _always_ come back to kick your butt at video games. That'll never change."

Beast Boy slowly nodded and sat up straight. "Let's do this," he said determinedly.

"Finally," Cyborg grunted. He smiled again and un-paused the game.

A few minutes later, Cyborg turned off the Gamestation4 and stood, moving to Robin and Raven.

Jinx noticed that as Cyborg turned away, Beast Boy's shoulders sunk again.

Jinx walked behind Beast Boy and flicked her wrist. One of the Gamestation4's controller cords curled inward before sharply straightening out, sending the controller sailing into Jinx's hand.

Beast Boy turned and looked at her in surprise.

"I get to play winner," Jinx said with a small wink.

Beast Boy smiled and relaxed again.

Jinx turned back to Cyborg, Raven, and Robin.

Robin stepped back to take a call on his Communicator.

Raven turned to Cyborg and placed a hand on his shoulder before speaking. "Thanks for being the first to really accept me," she said gratefully.

Cyborg placed a hand on Raven's shoulder in return. "Thanks for keeping us in line all this time," he replied. He smiled and leaned close. "Be sure to keep BB's jokes in line while I'm gone too. That kid needs a censor."

"You can count on it," Raven said with a rare smile.

They kept their hands on each other's shoulders for a second longer before letting go.

Cyborg nodded to himself and walked with Jinx to the door where Robin was waiting.

Raven turned away and quickly drew up her hood, hiding her expression. Beast Boy stood and placed a cautious hand on her shaking back.

"You ready?" Cyborg asked Jinx and Robin. "T-Car's all turbo-gassed up and ready to go."

"I call shotgun," Jinx said quickly.

"As if," Robin replied.

They turned and left.

A while later, as they drove through the streets of Jump City, Jinx, Cyborg, and Robin talked about what was next.

"I've been teamed up with Tramm," Cyborg was telling Robin as he turned the car into a small park.

"Good pairing," Robin said, glancing out the passenger window. "But not as good as some of your previous pairings."

Cyborg grunted and held out his fist for Robin.

Robin didn't notice.

Cyborg slowly lowered his fist.

Jinx, sitting the backseat, leaned back to look through the T-Car's sunroof at the portal-covered sky above.

"Who are you planning on recruiting next?" Cyborg asked.

"You wouldn't like it if I told you," Robin replied.

"Uh-oh," Cyborg said.

"You have no idea," Robin grunted.

Cyborg and Robin exchanged a smile as the car came to a stop.

Jinx stretched as they got out of the car.

The park they now stood in was full of trees and green grass. There was a group of children in swimsuits running around a small sprinkler near the edge of the park. A young woman stood a few feet away, keeping watch over the children.

The young woman was wearing a red pair of jeans and a red, turtle-neck sweater. She had gleaming blue eyes and light orange hair. She looked up and smiled when she saw Cyborg approaching.

Jinx, however, stopped in her tracks and looked away. _Uh-oh. Valentine's Day… Their date… that I ruined…_

"Hi, Sarah," Cyborg said, hugging the young woman and taking a step back.

Sarah folded her arms. "Here to tell me more about my former life and the gross green things from another time and/or dimension?"

Cyborg shook his head, remaining awkwardly silent.

Sarah raised an eyebrow and turned to Robin, holding out her hand. "Boy Wonder," she said in greeting.

"Miss Simms," Robin said in return, shaking the hand. His Communicator went off yet again and he turned away. "Speedy, what's up?"

"Somebody here wants to talk to you," Speedy replied through the Communicator. "I asked why, and he said 'it's because he's ba—"

"I'll take the call," Robin interrupted.

Jinx was about to move back to the T-Car when a little girl with a prosthetic leg pulled on her hand.

Jinx looked down, confused.

"I like your hair," the little girl said shyly.

Jinx found herself smiling and ran her hand down the little girl's long purple hair as she spoke. "Yours isn't too shabby either, kid."

The little girl blushed and ran off.

Jinx took a deep breath to build her confidence and made her way to Cyborg and Sarah.

"I know I promised that I'd keep you in the loop," Cyborg was saying quietly. He looked up at the sky. "But with these portals—"

"I get it," Sarah interrupted softly, placing a hand on his chest. She smiled sadly. "I do, Victor. But…"

"I wish we could've had more time," Cyborg said.

"We both know you're needed up there," Sarah said as she turned and watched her kids running around the sprinkler. She turned back to Cyborg with a smile. "And I'll be here when you get back."

Cyborg gave her a confused look. "But… what about college?"

Sarah shook her head. "College will wait," she said, turning again to the children under her care. "These kids are scared right now. They need me. I'm not going to abandon them."

Cyborg gave her a smile and glanced over at Jinx, suddenly seeming to remember that she was there.

Jinx took another deep breath and stepped forward.

"Sarah," Cyborg said, taking her hand and motioning to the newest member of Jump City's Teen Titans. "This is Jinx."

Sarah tipped her head with a confused smile.

Before either girl could say a word, Robin walked forward. "Cyborg, someone's got a tech question," he said. "It can't wait."

"Duty calls," Cyborg said awkwardly. He walked away with Robin, leaving Jinx and Sarah alone.

The two young women stood silently for a moment.

"Soo…." Sarah said.

"About Valentine's Day," Jinx said, taking a step back. "I'm sorry that I kinda ruined you and Cyborg's date."

"Really?" Sarah said lightly. "I thought it was the fact that a super-villain was sharing Cyborg's body and giving him a virus."

"Well, that too," Jinx said, relaxing somewhat. She sighed. "So… we're all good… right?"

"Totally," Sarah said.

They both turned and watched the children running around the sprinkler.

"Seriously, sorry about your date with Cyborg," Jinx said quickly. "And if you don't want me around the kids—"

"You're a Titan," Sarah interrupted firmly. "You're always welcome. You got that solidified for yourself a while ago."

Jinx raised an eyebrow.

Sarah chuckled and motioned to the little girl who'd walked up to Jinx. "A _very_ fast hero saved her from a burning building," Sarah explained. She turned to Jinx. "Earlier that night, he was held in captivity by a young villain and awaiting a transfer of custody to a 'Madam Rouge'. But the young villain… she had a problem with not being appreciated and let the hero go just before the fire started."

"How do you know all that?" Jinx asked.

Sarah motioned to the little girl again. "She likes to read to me from her journal."

Jinx looked at the little girl and gave her a smile and a wave. The little girl waved back and continued running around the sprinkler.

The sprinkler suddenly stopped and the children all groaned.

Jinx smiled slightly and flicked her wrist, causing the hose to build up pressure in multiple spots. The added pressure caused ten holes to appear along the hose's length as water shot up into the air.

All the children cheered and started running around the hose.

Sarah laughed. "I'm sure the kids wouldn't mind you coming around every so often either," she said, turning to Jinx and holding out her hand.

Jinx grabbed the hand and shook it without hesitation.

At that moment, Cyborg and Robin returned.

"Is it time?" Sarah asked Cyborg.

Cyborg nodded.

Sarah nodded as well and pulled Cyborg into a kiss, earning a few 'ooos and aaahhs' from the children playing a short distance away.

Jinx found herself smiling again.

Sarah released Cyborg, speaking firmly. "You'd _better_ come back for another one."

Cyborg held up his left hand. "I promise."

"Wrong hand," Jinx commented quietly.

Cyborg quickly lowered his arm and held up his right hand. "I promise," he said again.

Cyborg, Robin, and Jinx returned to the car.

Jinx stood off to the side as Robin and Cyborg stood next to the driver's door.

"So, this is it," Cyborg said to Robin.

"For now," Robin replied with a nod.

"For now," Cyborg repeated quietly. He looked at Jinx. "You help keep these kids in line, Jinx."

"Not gonna be an issue," Jinx said.

"Thank you," Cyborg said.

"Anytime," Jinx replied.

"See you up there soon?" Cyborg asked Robin.

"Soon enough," Robin answered. "I've just been informed that next week, Speedy and I are going to be partnered up as senior strategists."

"And the team _here_?" Cyborg asked.

"The team'll be ready when the time comes," Robin said firmly.

"Well," Cyborg said lightly as he opened the door to the front seat. "No matter who stays and who goes, one thing will never change."

"No villain will ever be a match for the Teen Titans," Robin completed.

Cyborg and Robin each bumped the top and bottom of each other's fist before bringing their knuckles together.

Cyborg got into the driver's seat. A few seconds after he started the car, the wheel's turned over and the rims turned into thrusters, sending the car sailing into the sky as the children looked up in awe.

Jinx waited until the car had disappeared before looking at Sarah.

Sarah looked back with a small tear in her eye.

"I'll see you soon," Jinx promised.

Sarah gave her an appreciative smile.

Jinx looked around for a moment and turned to Robin. "Umm… How are getting back to Titans Tower?" she asked.

Robin grabbed a small device from his belt. "My R-Cycle will be on its way momentari— woaaaaah!"

In a blur of yellow and red, Jinx and Robin found themselves back at Titans Tower.

Jinx, having gotten used to her boyfriend's mode of transportation, remained standing.

Robin, however, went flying off his feet and sailing toward the living room window. He was caught just before impacting by Raven's powers and brought safely to the floor. On the couch, Beast Boy slowly peeked out of his turtle shell and resumed his human form.

"I hate it when he does that," Jinx said with a smile, obviously amused.

Robin grunted as he rose to his feet, shaking his head. He walked to the computer. "Back to business."

"Your _very_ wealthy CEO friend pulled through," Raven said, pointing at the screen. "The bait's set. If he falls for it, we'll catch him."

"Catch who?" Jinx and Beast Boy asked simultaneously.

"Our next recruit," Robin answered. He leaned forward. "Looks like, if he keeps to his pattern—"

"Or lack thereof," Raven mumbled, folding her arms.

"He'll be at the Wayne Enterprise storage facility," Robin stated, leaning back.

"Then we have to catch him," Raven added skeptically.

"We'll catch him," Robin promised. "We have something he needs."

"And then you have to convince him," Raven finished.

"I know him well enough," Robin said.

"Heeellllooooo!" Beast Boy called, motioning to himself and Jinx. "Do you guys care to share with the rest of the class?"

Robin hit a button on the control panel and a picture came up on the monitor.

Beast Boy's mouth fell open. "Are you nuts?" he exclaimed, motioning to the picture. "That's a terrible idea!"

"He knows how the system works," Robin argued. "He's not affiliated with any organization and he's got the know-how, connections, and skills to get the job done."

"Not to mention a gadget to beat every one of us!" Beast Boy retorted. He folded his arms and looked directly at Robin. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"He doesn't have a gadget for _all_ of us," Raven said, turning to Jinx.

"I already have authorization from the Mayor," Robin explained calmly. "He gave us the go-ahead. I know you don't like it, Beast Boy. But under short notice and a lack of options we don't have much of a choice."

Beast Boy groaned.

Robin turned to Jinx. "What do you think?" he asked.

"He never went up through the academy," Jinx answered, walking up to the screen. "Can't wait to meet him."

…

Deep within the depths of the most secure underground prison in Jump City, the Headmistress sat cross-legged on the floor of her cell.

With a small whir of electricity, the lights shut off for a moment before turning back on. They began to flicker slowly, switching from on to off every few seconds.

The Headmistress stood. "I knew you'd be here."

"I predicted you'd be here as well," Slade said as the light flicked on again, revealing the commando leaning against the cell wall, his arms folded. "I take it your… protégé will not be joining me."

"No," the Headmistress answered, sitting down again. "She's been corrupted. But I assure you, I have not. I told them nothing."

"Perhaps that is out of loyalty," Slade said as the lights continued to flicker on and off. "Or perhaps it is because you know nothing. Either way, it doesn't matter. You kept the Titans occupied and I was able to gather the information I needed from the Titan mainframe. Robin's next recruit could be a great asset."

"I do not believe that the Titans would recruit someone that could turn traitor," the Headmistress disagreed.

"Loyalty to me is not synonymous with being an asset," Slade said firmly, still leaning against the wall. "Although, loyalty is always preferable."

"Why are you here?" the Headmistress finally asked.

"Loyalty can be expressed with but a whisper," Slade said. "You did as I required in distracting the Titans. And because of this, you ended up in prison. I am here to offer you a choice."

"And what is the choice?" the Headmistress pressed.

"I can break you out. But then, the Titans will never stop hunting you. They will think you know more than you do. You will never have peace," Slade said calmly. He glanced at the Headmistress for a moment before looking at the floor, speaking softly. "Or you can stay here for the time being and keep silent. When my plan comes to fruition, there will be no one to hide from."

"I only need to be patient," the Headmistress said. "If I am patient, the Titans will fall and I will be free to do as I wish."

"Patient and _silent_ ," Slade corrected. "Silent. It is true, you know little of my plan and even what you know, the Titans wouldn't be able use against me. If you are silent, your loyalty will be confirmed. And not only will you be free, you will be rewarded."

The Headmistress looked down for a moment.

"As for patience," Slade said. "You of all people should know that patience or a lack thereof could be a determining factor in any operation."

The lights continued to flicker overhead.

Slade nodded spoke again. "Our time is almost up."

"Tell me," the Headmistress said calmly. "Who is this recruit of the Titans, this… potential asset."

"The world will know soon enough," Slade said calmly. He looked the Headmistress in the eye. "I'll be watching."

The lights flicked off again.

When they turned back on, Slade was gone.


	4. Next Week on Ep:3 of Teen Titans Dawn

**Next Week on Teen Titans Dawn…**

Red X looked at the Titans standing before him. "You've _got_ to be joking."

"I think this is going to be fun," Jinx said.

…

Robin stepped forward. "If you're going to play, you're playing by _my_ rules, not yours. _Your_ rules earn you a one-way ticket to jail."

Red X looked Robin in the eye, taking one step closer as well, standing only a few feet from the Titan.

…

"I will find a way out of this," Red X promised Robin, placing the Xenothium vial in his belt.

…

Jinx moved to Red X. "So, what do you know about this Slade guy?" she asked as the image of Slade reappeared on the screen.

"Enough to respect him," Red X said with a hint of admiration as he gazed at the image. "I understand he knows how to get the job done."

…

"Not much without the Xenothium," Jinx teased. "Are you?"

"You don't know a thing about me," Red X said as he refilled and primed his gloves with the red substance.

"Something tells me there's more to you than just _this_ ," Jinx said, hitting a few buttons on the computer that brought up an almost barren file on Red X.

…

Red X grunted. "I do things my own way. You guys take yourselves way too seriously and you work way too slow," he stated. "You want me, this is how you get me."

…

"You know why you're here," Slade assumed.

"Same reason any two highly intelligent people meet face to face for the first time," Red X said as the two became surrounded by smoke and steam. "To start a partnership or to leave as rivals."

…

Robin folded his arms. "What's it gonna be, X?"

Red X held up his gloved hands. "It's _Red_ X."

…


	5. Episode III: Red X

Jump City was silent. Most of the buildings in the industrial sector had gone dark. The nighttime traffic had long since dissipated.

It was now, during the quietest, most peaceful time of night that a lone thief leapt from one roof to the next, his black cape fluttering and flowing gently in the cool night breeze. The thief made one final leap to a lower rooftop before landing beside a door that hosted a numeric keypad with three letters on each button.

The thief stopped, listened, and heard nothing. _Too easy._

The thief grabbed a Xenothium gadget from his belt and placed it on the door, which instantly began to hack into the keypad as various buttons lit up.

The thief simply folded his arms and leaned up against the door, paying little attention to the voids that littered the sky. _Let the 'heroes' figure them out. Meanwhile, I'm going to help myself to whatever I want._

The hacking device chimed, and the thief glanced at the panel.

05S-65E-55C-7FE

The thief opened the door, pressed a button on his belt, and vanished. _Although, a little challenge would be nice every once in a while._

Still invisible, the thief walked down the stairs and into a room stacked with boxes and crates.

 _The Wayne Enterprises storage facility. So much money, so little security._ The thief stopped. There was nothing moving in the large room and odder yet… _No security at all…_

There was a whirring sound to the thief's left. The thief stepped back in time to dodge two red bird-shaped blades. A third, however, grazed the middle of the thief's belt, disabling both the cloaking device and his ability to teleport.

The thief grunted and casually leaned up against two stacked crates. "I'm surprised it took you this long to come after me," he said through his mask. "I was starting to think you were forgetting about the little people, what with the holes in the sky."

"Red X," Robin said, walking out of the shadows. "I think it's time that—"

"I went to jail?" Red X completed, unfolding his arms and walking to the center of the room. "We've been through this before, kid."

Robin took a step forward as well and stood across from Red X. "It's different this time," the Titan said.

"Is that right?" Red X asked.

"I've never lied to you before," Robin reminded the thief. "We knew you would need to fill up on Xenothium soon. We also knew that you would jump at a challenge."

"Brings you back, doesn't it?" Red X replied.

"We just want to talk," Robin said calmly. "But if you want a fight, we'll give you one."

"Now that _does_ sound like a challenge," Red X said.

Robin folded his arms. "What's it gonna be, X?"

Red X held out his gloved hands. "It's _Red_ X."

Robin grabbed his staff and extended it, holding the weapon at his side.

Red X readied himself as the two X-shaped blades appeared on either wrist and began to spin. "Like you said, I'm always up for a challenge."

Red X and Robin leapt at the same time, their weapons flashing. Red X sliced horizontally. Robin leaned back to dodge the spinning blade. Red X followed up with an uppercut from with other hand. Robin blocked the slice with one side of his blade and spun away, striking with the other side.

Red X brought up a hand to block the strike and struck down with the other hand, knocking the staff from Robin's grasp. Robin ducked beneath another blow and spun into a kick that hit Red X in the chest and sent him flying into a stack of crates.

Red X flipped in midair, planted his feet on the crates, and propelled himself back toward Robin, lashing out with a kick. Robin crossed his arms into an 'X' and blocked the blow. With a grunt, Robin pushed Red X's leg back. Red X, still in midair, gracefully backflipped and landed atop a stack of crates.

"Getting bored yet?" Red X asked.

"Titans!" Robin called. "Go!"

Red X looked down as the crate he was standing on turned black. He quickly jumped and landed on the floor as the crate flew outward and hit the back wall.

Red X turned just in time to see a crate on the floor explode as a green triceratops charged toward him. As Red X rolled to dodge, Robin jumped again.

Red X quickly shot four Xenothium adhesive ropes into the walls on either side. The red ropes glowed a bright blue as they created a strong magnetic field that tore metal from concrete, sending multiple projectiles in Robin's direction.

Robin crouched, turned, and wrapped his cape around him, using its high-density polymerized titanium to deflect away the nearest of the projectiles before using his grapple gun to hook onto an overhead lamplight and quickly change direction to dodge the remaining projectiles.

Red X turned again as Raven appeared overhead and started throwing crates in his direction with her magic. Red X sidestepped the crates in time to see Beast Boy, still in his triceratops form, charge again.

Red X quickly changed the Xenothium blades on his wrist into solid buffers that took the brunt of Beast Boy's right horn. As Red X stepped sideways, he quickly threw an electrified X-shuriken at the dinosaur.

Beast Boy ran to the side and the X-shuriken hit the metal control console behind him which sparked and buzzed with electricity before exploding.

Seeing a small chance to regroup, Red X did a few backflips, stopping as the three Titans formed a 'V' in front of him.

For a few seconds, nobody moved.

Red X glanced around again before returning his gaze to the Titans and counting. "One. Two. Three. But your metal friend is gone," the thief observed. He tipped his head slightly. "And where's the cutie?"

Suddenly, the floor in front of Red X pulsated with pink energy as a water pipe exploded under the thief, briefly separating him from the Titans, turning them into dark silhouettes through the spraying water.

Then, a new silhouette appeared followed by a purple and black boot that burst through the water.

Red X barely had enough to time throw up his arms in an 'X' before taking a kick that pushed him back a few steps.

"There's a _cutie_ right here," his attacker said as the water finally fell and the young woman in front of him did a few graceful backward twirls, stopping beside the Titans. "And the name is Jinx."

Red X remained where he was. "That name sounds somewhat familiar to me," he said with a very small hint of admiration. "You must have done something right."

"Unfortunately for you," Jinx continued, stroking a lightning bolt necklace that hung around her neck. " _This_ cutie is taken."

Red X didn't answer. He quickly threw two separate X-shurikens in an ark. When the X-shurikens impacted, they created an explosive smoke bomb that blinded the Titans. Red X quickly charged into the group, unleashing a double, spinning kick at Robin and Beast Boy, which made caused them to retreat a few feet, two punches at Raven, which were blocked, and a punch at Jinx.

Jinx dodged the punch with a graceful backward bend and lashed out with a magic-infused punch. Red X blocked the blow aside at the wrist and sent the magic careening toward Raven who put up a shield. Red X quickly spun and threw out another electrified X-shuriken that would have painfully combined the powers and subdued their owners.

Raven, seeming to know what was coming, released her shield and took Jinx's hex at its full effect, allowing the empty crate that the energy struck to fall on top of her.

Robin jumped and unleashed another kick as Beast Boy turned into a sabretooth tiger but stayed where he was. Red X ducked under Robin's kick and the Titan landed beside Jinx. Meanwhile, Raven used her magic to throw aside the crate that had fallen on her.

The Titans now surrounded Red X on all sides.

"You could have kept the shield up," a confused Jinx said to Raven.

"Your power is a lesser of two evils," Raven explained, glaring at Red X. "Trust me."

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat about evil and trust, kids," Red X interrupted as Beast Boy crouched low. "But I think I've had my fill of fun for the evening."

As the Titans charged, Red X quickly knelt, placing his gloves against the ground. The ground became transparent and split open, allowing Red X to fall through the floor and onto his lean, pointed black and red X-Cycle that he had stashed on-site hours before.

Red X started up the bike and drove through a glass window, landing on the street and speeding away. After a few seconds, the facility disappeared behind him with no sign of pursuit.

Red X grunted. "These kids never learn. I always have an escape pla—"

Suddenly, there was a loud vroom as Robin sped up from behind, using a nearby hill as a ramp to jump his yellow and red R-Cycle into the air. Robin activated his lower thrusters at the last second and landed smoothly next to Red X's bike.

Red X glanced at Robin.

Robin glanced back.

Red X shook his head and hit a button on his bike, speeding away from the Titan. Red X then held out his right arm. A wrist-mounted blade reappeared and began to spin. Once the blade had reached its full speed, Red X used it to slice through a series of passing streetlights.

Robin reacted quickly, turning his bike sharply and going around the falling obstacles.

Red X hit the throttle on his bike again and sped away only to have Robin catch up a few seconds later. After exchanging another couple of glances, Red X sped up again and threw a few Xenothium explosives. The bombs detonated on impact, covering the road in sticky, red adhesive.

Robin was forced to peel off and drove up a nearby ramp to the overpass above.

Red X looked up to see the rest of the Titans in pursuit. Beast Boy was in the form of a pteranodon while Jinx was standing on a circular platform of magic created by Raven.

Raven glanced at Jinx who nodded.

As Red X neared the overpass, Raven started to chant. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The sidewalks and buildings on either side of Red X were suddenly surrounded by black magic.

Jinx backflipped off the platform and curled herself into a ball as her hands pulsated with pink energy. A second later, Jinx spread her arms and legs, unleashing the energy and demolishing the road in front of Red X. The buildings and sidewalks were left unharmed, protected by Raven's magic.

Red X, seeing his escape route obliterated with no chance of changing direction, jumped off his bike. He held out his gloved hands and shot a Xenothium adhesive rope at the underside of the overpass.

Red X used his momentum to flip himself up and over the debris before landing safely on top of the overpass. He looked up and saw Beast Boy, still in the form of a pteranodon, grab a freefalling Jinx in his talons and fly off.

Red X heard a grappling hook wrap itself around a nearby streetlight and turned to the sound of a determined grunt. The thief was rewarded with the sight of Robin's boot less than an inch from his face.

The boot hit its mark, knocking Red X unconscious.

…

 **There's new trouble. We know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **The old Titans, they can't stop it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **With all the evil on the attack,**

 **they won't rest until they got your back.**

 **The world will need more heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **Now a new team must come to the light…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Our world will surly perish if they don't unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **There's a path must be run.**

 **A path that leads straight to the dawn.**

 **'Cause without Titans, evil gains control…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **DAWN!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

"I thought you didn't like to play the Hero."

"Doesn't mean I don't know how."

– Robin and Red X. Season 3: Episode 2 "X."

…

 ** _"Red X"_**

Red X slowly returned to consciousness. He knew instantly that he was still wearing his mask. However, he was also tied tightly to a wooden chair.

Red X looked around and it seemed that he was located in the main living room of Titans Tower. Red X flicked his wrist in order to use the Xenothium in his gloves to cut himself free before shaking his head, finding that there was no Xenothium left in his gloves and that his belt was gone.

Red X let out an annoyed sigh and looked up as Robin, Beast Boy, and Jinx walked into the room behind him. They were conversing casually, almost completely ignoring Red X as they moved to the main computer.

"The H-E-R-O Amulet?" Robin was asking.

"I sent it to the Doom Patrol," Beast Boy answered, glancing nervously at Red X. "He can't take our powers."

"Like I would _want_ powers," Red X retorted. "Especially yours."

Beast Boy glared at Red X and took a step forward.

Robin silently raised a hand.

Beast Boy let a bull-like snort through his nose and turned away.

"What about the rest of the villain artifacts?" Jinx asked.

"Raven has sent them to Herald," Robin replied. "He'll find a place to keep them safe."

"How about we have Herald send _him_ someplace safe," Beast Boy suggested, motioning to Red X.

"You really want me where you can't see me?" Red X asked.

Jinx, who was now leaning against the computer, smiled somewhat.

"No," Robin answered. "That's why you're here."

Beast Boy shook his head and spoke loudly. "Okay, I know it feels like the hundredth time that I'm saying this—"

"More like four-hundredth," Jinx interjected.

"But this is not a good idea," Beast Boy completed.

"But it's what we got," Robin said. "And with me leaving tonight to join the League… the team needs all the help and smarts in can get."

Beast Boy shook his head again as the computer behind Jinx chimed.

Jinx turned and examined the device for a moment. "We got a tip on Warp's location," she announced.

"Is he going after the vortex regulator?" Robin asked.

Jinx raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by the question.

Raven looked at the computer. "No, he's in the wrong sector."

The computer chimed again. "Thunder and Lightning said they'll handle it," Jinx said.

"I'll go too," Beast Boy said grumpily. "I need some air."

Beast Boy turned into a green lion and roared at Red X.

Red X didn't even flinch.

Beast Boy took off.

Robin looked at Jinx and nodded.

Jinx walked behind Red X's chair, flicking her wrist. The ropes around Red X's wrists unraveled and fell to the floor.

Red X rubbed his wrists but made no attempt to stand. "Why am I not in jail?" he asked.

"Because we just want to talk," Robin said.

"But thanks for the workout," Jinx added cheerfully. "It was fun."

Red X glanced at Jinx before speaking to Robin again. "Why didn't you take off the mask?"

"Because who you are doesn't matter," Robin replied. His voice turned somewhat harsh. "The way I see it, you're either an orphan who's trying to prove he's better than the rest of the world, or you're a rich kid who's bored. Either way, I don't have time for it. I care about one thing; the safety and security of this city and Earth."

"And your way of protecting the city and Earth is to not put a master thief in jail?" Red X asked snidely.

"We like you right where you are," Jinx answered. She hit a button on the computer and a small map of Jump City appeared. There was a yellow 'X' icon residing in Titans Tower. "And the nanoscopic tracker we put on your mask will make sure we _always_ know where you are."

"And what's to stop me from taking off this mask and disappearing?" Red X countered. "After all, you don't know who I really am. If you did, you'd tell me."

"Because without the mask, you're a man at best," Robin answered. "At worst you're nothing more than a thief. You _need_ the mask or you're nothing."

"Personally, I would reverse your assessment of best and worst," Red X said, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "So, it's obvious that you want something from me. You don't want me in jail or I'd be there."

Raven moved to stand beside Jinx.

"You want me under your watch," Red X continued, ignoring them. "But not so badly that you would keep me tied to a chair. Your green pet seems to have an issue with me being here _and_ you're getting rid of all the toys you've taken from your enemies. Which means…"

Raven folded her arms as Jinx smiled slyly.

Red X looked at the Titans standing before him. "You've _got_ to be joking."

"I think this is going to be fun," Jinx said.

"I'm afraid this isn't a joke," Robin said. "You may not care about the what's going on with the portals in the sky, but I know you keep your ear low to the ground. You've been watching, and I'm sure you understand why we're recruiting. You also know the city's criminals even if you refuse to work with them."

Red X shook his head. "True thieves work alone," he said. "No splitting the take. No betrayals. Just the next job."

"Most importantly," Robin continued, stepping forward. "You know how to be a hero and, whether any of us like it or not, the world is in short supply of heroes right now."

There was a brief silence.

"What do _you_ think about this?" Red X asked Raven, taunting her somewhat. "I thought your team and your magic could handle anything."

Raven stepped forward, lowering her hood. "The _team_ is doing everything it can," she said firmly. "And my magic _can_ handle anything. It's a question of whether or not _I_ can handle the magic."

Red X tapped his knee. "Why do you think I'd agree to working for you?" he asked Robin.

"Not _for_ ," Robin corrected.

"With," Jinx said with a small smile.

"With the team," Robin completed.

"Not interested," Red X said firmly. "I'd think you'd have known my answer before even asking me."

Jinx glanced at Robin.

Robin nodded.

Jinx stepped forward. "Pop quiz, X."

" _Red_ _X_ ," the thief grunted.

"Okay, _Red X_ ," Jinx said sarcastically. "Let me ask you this. What does extortion, blackmail, and negotiation all have in common?"

"Leverage," Red X answered immediately.

Robin knelt next to the table by the couch and emerged a vial of Xenothium as well as Red X's belt.

Red X leaned forward.

Robin placed both objects on the table containing the central monitor. He pressed a few buttons and multiple images of the city appeared on screen. Some were skyscrapers. Others, single-story buildings. All were shot from the ground up and displayed at least one portal.

"You know where these are?" Robin asked.

"I should hope so," Red X said, finally standing. He walked up to the computer monitor, attempting to ignore his belt and the Xenothium. "I've been to every one of them. Not for very long though."

"Yeah," Jinx said, stepping forward. "I particularly liked your handling of the Merlyn Job."

Robin turned to Jinx with a raised eyebrow.

Jinx held up her hands. "I wasn't a Titan yet," she reminded him.

Red X ignored her and pointed to an image. "Except the Comic Con. That wasn't me."

"Control Freak's androids," Raven said with a smirk.

"Knockoffs," Red X spat. He turned to Robin. "So what is it you think I'm supposed to see or care about here?"

"Your playground," Robin answered.

Red X folded his arms but didn't reply.

Robin nodded at Raven, who started typing on the computer. A second image appeared containing a three-dimensional overhead view of the city followed by hundreds of red dots.

Robin turned back to Red X. "These dots mark all the areas effected or destroyed because of the portals," the Titan said.

An image of the villain known only to Red X as 'Slade' appeared on the screen over the map.

Robin motioned to the image. "This man is behind it."

"You did a good job capturing him," Red X grunted.

"He's not finished," Robin continued. "He's got a plan and we need to stop him. And _you_ should want to help."

Raven hit a button and the image of Slade disappeared, leaving only the map of the city.

"The amount of fun you can have in this city is shrinking fast," Robin said to Red X. "So, you have three choices."

Jinx moved to stand behind Robin as Raven shut down the computer.

"Choice 'one'," Robin said. "You say 'no' and go to jail."

"In which case, I just get to catch you again," Jinx added.

"Choice 'two'," Robin continued, folding his arms again. "You take off the mask and run. But we both know you're not the type. And choice three…"

"Leverage," Red X said, eyeing his belt as Jinx walked over to the vial of Xenothium and casually flipped the volatile substance in her hand.

"Leverage," Robin confirmed. He walked over and grabbed Red X's belt. "You join us, and you get to continue playing with your dangerous toys."

Jinx stopped flipping the vial before slowly and carefully placing it on the counter.

Robin stepped forward. "If you're going to play, you're playing by _my_ rules, not yours. _Your_ rules earn you a one-way ticket to jail."

Red X looked Robin in the eye, taking one step closer as well, standing only a few feet from the Titan.

Raven's hand glowed with magic.

Jinx stood still.

"Let's say that I agree to do this," Red X said quietly. "I help you save your city. Afterwards, what happens to me?"

"Time will tell," Robin answered, holding out the belt. "The Titans have some good pull with the Mayor. Maybe there's more we can do for you."

Red X thought for a moment before grabbing his empty belt. "You do this for you and your city," he said, latching the belt around his hip. "I'm going to do this for me."

"I figured you'd come around," Jinx said, picking up the vial and tossing it to Red X.

The Titans' Communicators chimed. "Dudes, I'm almost back," Beast Boy said through the devices. "Is he ready to go to jail?"

Raven set the conversation to private and stepped away as Jinx updated the computer.

"I will find a way out of this," Red X promised Robin, placing the Xenothium vial in his belt.

"Tell that to your ego and the chip in your mask," Robin replied.

"What?" Beast Boy practically shouted though Raven's Communicator.

Robin moved to help Raven console an obviously unhappy Beast Boy.

Jinx moved to Red X. "So, what do you know about this Slade guy?" she asked as the image of Slade reappeared on the screen.

"Enough to respect him," Red X said with a hint of admiration as he gazed at the image. "I understand he knows how to get the job done."

…

"If I write a ten page essay on why this is a bad idea, will you let me take him to jail?" Beast Boy asked, standing outside Titans Tower. "I'll even make multiple drafts."

"No," Robin said firmly through the Communicator. "He stays."

"And I thought Red X would be the hardest to convince," Raven chimed in.

…

"Not much without the Xenothium," Jinx teased. "Are you?"

"You don't know a thing about me," Red X said as he refilled and primed his gloves with the red substance.

"Something tells me there's more to you than just _this_ ," Jinx said, hitting a few buttons on the computer that brought up an almost barren file on Red X.

"You guys are missing about half the jobs I've done," Red X commented, ignoring Jinx's prod.

"Well, you can feel free to update the file," Jinx said leaning back against the screen. "I'm sure they'll give you limited access to the mainframe soon. But for now, you can just borrow my clearance"

"What are you doing?" Beast Boy asked Jinx sharply, finally having rejoined them in the living room.

"Trusting more than she should," Red X said, glancing at Jinx.

"Just trying to help," Jinx said simply with a shrug. She looked at Beast Boy. "He's all yours."

Beast Boy chested up to Red X. "I don't agree with this," the young Titan said bravely.

"That makes two of us, kid," Red X said, folding his arms. "And I wouldn't trust me either. It's funny, I never thought of you as the smartest guy in the room."

Beast Boy opened his mouth and closed it several times as if he were trying to decide how to take the double-sided comment.

"I'll let you get back to me on that," Red X said, walking away from a fuming Beast Boy. He walked up to Robin and Raven who were quietly talking behind the counter on the side of the room. Red X sighed. "What kind of gear do I get?"

Robin reached under the counter before placing some X-shurikens on the table and taking a step back. "We reprogramed your belt and gloves too," he said. "You can use adhesive, but your wrist-mounted blades are locked to 'still'. No more falling streetlights. No more cutting your way out of trouble."

"That's it?" Red X asked calmly.

"No explosives," Raven informed him. "No surface manipulators and no _bike_."

Red X was silent for a moment. He reached out with his glove and shot out adhesive, using it to draw the X-shurikens to his hand. After securing the weapons in his belt and activating and deactivating his wrist-mounted blades, he finally spoke. "Do you have any idea what I could do with only these three items?"

"Try it," Beast Boy urged.

"Beast Boy," Robin warned.

Red X took a step toward Beast Boy. "You want a fight, I'm game," he told the Titan. "I don't need to escape to make my point."

Beast Boy's eye slowly started to shift into that of a tiger's before Raven placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't," she said quietly and comfortingly. "Anger is pointless. He's just trying to get a rise out of you."

Beast Boy let out a sigh and his eye resumed its human form. "This is a bad idea," he said again.

Red X didn't move.

"Desperate times," Robin said to Beast Boy without judgment.

"We're not _this_ desperate," Beast Boy grumbled.

"Um… guys," Jinx called from next to the computer. "Are we expecting anyone?"

Robin walked between Red X and Beast Boy to get to the computer and stood aside as Raven pressed a few buttons. A new image popped up. It was security footage of the Titans' front door.

Red X recognized the form of Slade's robotic commando from his own research. The commando walked to the front door, bent over, and seemingly deactivated itself.

"Huh," Jinx said, looking over Red X's shoulder. "So… a trap?"

"Maybe Slade's sent it to offer his surrender," Beast Boy offered sheepishly.

Robin and Raven turned with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe not," Beast Boy said.

Red X turned away from the computer and walked toward the window as it slid open. He was joined by Robin a moment later and they jumped together.

Using Xenothium adhesive and a grapple gun respectfully, Red X and Robin simultaneously landed ten feet from the Commando. Beast Boy landed beside Robin, turning from a hawk back to his human form. Raven and Jinx appeared, hopping down from a floating platform made of magic.

"What if it's a bomb?" Beast Boy asked as Robin stepped forward.

"Seems too simple for Slade," Robin replied. He turned to Raven.

Raven shook her head. "I can't get a reading on its purpose. It's a robot."

"So, what should we do?" Jinx asked. "Maybe we should—"

Red X shook his head in annoyance and threw a X-shuriken through the commando's chest, causing a series of sparks, but no explosions.

"Not a bomb," Red X grunted.

Jinx let out a small chuckle.

Robin, Beast Boy, and Raven just stared at Red X.

Red X ignored them and moved forward for an up-close examination.

"That was risky," Robin said to Red X with a lowered voice as he joined the thief in examining the robot.

Red X grunted. "I do things my own way. You guys take yourselves too seriously and you work way too slow," he stated. "You want me, this is how you get me."

"Why would Slade send us a defunct commando?" Jinx asked.

"Dude, don't even try to understand Slade," Beast Boy advised. "It can't be done."

"Slade never does anything without a motive," Raven said. She thought for a moment. "This thing is meant to give us a message."

Beast Boy took a cautious step forward. "So… where do we star— ahh!"

Beast Boy stepped back as the commando jerked forward, spinning its left arm.

Red X removed his hand from the wires that caused the movement and glanced at Beast Boy before taking a step back and folding his arms.

"Raven," Robin said. "Can you take this thing apart using your magic?"

Raven's hand began to glow.

Red X stepped around the front of the commando. "There's no point in taking it apart," the thief stated as Raven lowered her hand. "If this thing has a message, it's going to be in a spot that's hard to hit."

Jinx slowly stepped forward and gently grabbed the commando's mask, taking it off and dropping it to the ground. Beneath the mask was a small viewscreen with a hooked in slot for a memory chip.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Raven chanted softly.

The card slot slowly started to glow. As Raven moved her hand back, a memory chip slowly slipped out of the robot and glided into Robin's hand.

"Let's go," Robin said, turning away to reenter the Tower.

Raven turned and followed, leaving Beast Boy, Red X, and Jinx alone.

Beast Boy turned into a polar bear and backhanded the commando to the ground in a shower of sparks. He let out a soft growl at Red X before following Robin and Raven.

"BB'll warm up to you," Jinx promised. "Just let him see you stop a few bad guys."

"He can watch all he wants," Red X said. He took one last look at the commando before sending an X-shuriken through its view screen. "At least he does it openly."

Jinx glanced at the cracked viewscreen and saw a destroyed hidden camera. She suppressed a smile.

Red X noted the look and turned away, moving toward the Tower.

"How'd you know that was there?" Jinx asked as she joined him.

"Same way you did," Red X grunted. "I've studied my potential rivals."

By the time they reached the living room again, Raven had already inserted the chip into the central monitor and downloaded its contents.

"That's it?" Jinx asked, seeing the data.

"I hate it when Slade does this," Beast Boy grumbled.

There were three images on the monitor. The first was a clearing surrounded by burnt and broken trees. The second image was the picture of an old, abandoned cruise ship. The third contained a moonlit body of water residing next to a brown dock with trash littered across it.

"That's… vague," Raven said.

"It's a clue," Robin added.

"Do you think all three images are from the same place?" Jinx asked.

"I doubt it," Red X said. "Your computer's high tech enough that it would have compiled the images and given us a location instantly if they were close to each other."

"So, what do we do?" Beast Boy asked Robin.

Red X turned to the Titans. "Give me a Communicator," he said.

"No way," Beast Boy said, shaking his head. "Uh-uh. Not happening."

"It's going to happen sooner or later," Raven said.

"Make it sooner," Red X demanded, holding out his hand. "Or do you want to sit and wait for Slade to finish his plans?"

Jinx looked at Robin, who nodded. "What are you going to do?" Jinx asked as she handed Red X her own Communicator.

Red X pressed a button on the computer's keyboard and a hidden panel popped open, revealing a long cord. "I know somebody who can half-help with this," he said as he plugged in the Communicator to download the images.

" _Half_ -help?" Raven asked.

"He has his own fun with quizzes and riddles," Red X explained. "But if I figure out his puzzles, the locations he gives me are always legit. And in the end, I've always profited."

"Quizzes and riddles," Raven said thoughtfully.

"He's _my_ lead," Red X said firmly. "I go alone."

"Who are we talking about?" Jinx asked.

"Kwiz Kid is an escaped criminal from before Slade created these portals," Robin reminded Red X.

"I know he's an escaped criminal," Red X said simply. "I broke him out."

" _Now_ can we take him to jail?" Beast Boy begged, waving a hand in Red X's direction.

"Kwiz Kid can help us," Red X promised. "And I always honor my agreements. If he gives me the information, he stays out of jail. And he knows this city inside-out. So, unless you have a better suggestion—"

"How about a compromise?" Jinx suggested. She stood between Red X and the Titans. "If X talks to Kwiz Kid and this all pans out, we just keep an eye on him. No jail."

"Risky," Raven said unjudgmentally.

"What do you call _this_?" Beast Boy said, pointing at Red X.

"Agreed," Robin finally said. "Kwiz Kid helps, he stays out of jail and under watch."

"You can borrow my Communicator until you get back," Jinx offered.

"No need," Robin said. He reached into his belt and offered Red X a spare Titans Communicator, eliciting a grunt of annoyance from Beast Boy. Robin ignored him. "It's connected to this team's Communicators only. All the same data, including the images you downloaded onto Jinx's Communicator are there as well."

Red X grabbed the Titans Communicator and held it in his hand. "Give a potential enemy a Communicator," he grumbled. "How'd that work out for you with the Brotherhood of Evil?"

"It doesn't work that way anymore," Raven said, stepping forward and giving Beast Boy a look of warning. "The Communicators can't connect to or locate the other Titans without an authorization code on our end and an acceptance code from theirs. They can't be used as tracking devices again."

"But they're interconnected among the team," Red X argued. "Even if you can't hack between the devices, they can still be manipulated."

"So _you_ say," Beast Boy said.

" _I_ say cut out the middle man and work solo," Red X said, glancing at Beast Boy. He looked at Robin. "No connections and no trust mean fewer liabilities and even fewer betrayals."

"That's not how a team works," Robin said.

"That's how I work," Red X retorted.

"Not anymore," Robin said.

"Now you work our way," Jinx reminded Red X.

Red X locked eyes with her before speaking. "For now," he said, finally placing the Communicator on his belt.

"Where is Kwiz Kid?" Robin asked.

…

Red X slipped through the window of an abandoned building and dropped gracefully to the ground. He walked down an empty hallway toward a room shining with light. When he reached the doorway, he saw a young man at a computer.

The young man had light brown hair, wore a green and black outfit with a golden question mark on the chest, and a black and white mask that hid his eyes.

The young man didn't even turn as he spoke to Red X. "What is that which is quintessentially created to be perfect, but can never be perfectly created?"

"Your security system," Red X answered, looking at the cameras feeds on the monitor in front of Kwiz Kid. None of the images covered Red X's entry point.

"I knew I should have electrified the windows," Kwiz Kid grumbled, glancing at Red X. "A late-night visit's nothing new for you, but the device strapped to your hip… that's unexpected."

"A temporary partnership," Red X said, unstrapping the Communicator and placing it on the desk.

"And our own partnership?" Kwiz Kid asked.

"If it was over, the Titans would already be here."

Kwiz Kid smiled and grabbed the Communicator, plugging it into his small computer. "Three new images uploaded," he said as the monitor flickered a few times. "You know my price."

"As always, I ask for a location and you get to ask your riddles," Red X said. "Go."

Kwiz Kid smiled and clicked on the image that depicted the forest. "Ahh…" he said. "I love history. Okay…"

Kwiz Kid started to chant.

 _"In this place, two came for senseless fun._

 _However, the conduit of fun hid a plan for one._

 _The two soon found that they needed friends._

 _Upon this battlefield, they became loose ends."_

Red X listened but said nothing.

Kwiz Kid moved to the picture of the abandoned cruise ship. A small amount of anger entered his voice as he spoke.

 _"Upon this ship stood a boy who was not worthy._

 _And the amusing beauty who came with him was quite wordy._

 _Luckily, the boy's date with destiny wasn't fate…_

 _Argh! Thinking of that night and that **boy** fills my heart with hate!"_

Red X shook his head in annoyance as Kwiz Kid started a rant about a destined love repeatedly lost.

Eventually, Kwiz Kid stopped his tirade and moved on to the final image that depicted the moonlit water and dock. He now spoke calmly and in a matter-of-fact tone.

 _"To a child, this place can be as beautiful as a pearl._

 _This destination has brought fun and amusement to many a boy and girl._

 _For those in love, this location could be the next stage._

 _This place of joy cannot be defined by age."_

Red X contemplated this for a moment before grabbing the Communicator and walking out the door without a word.

After walking a few blocks from the warehouse, Red X turned down an alley. "I'm assuming you heard," he called, slowing to a stop.

The Titans emerged from the shadows. "We heard," Jinx said.

"But, _what_ we heard it still up for debate," Raven said.

"All of these riddles mean something," Robin said, holding his chin. "Kwiz Kid knew we were listening in, otherwise he wouldn't have given clues that only _we_ would find relevant."

"I'm lost," Beast Boy admitted.

"The first riddle mentioned 'the one'," Red X said, leaning up against the alley wall. "Obviously Slade. The second riddle mentioned a 'date with destiny' and 'a beauty'. The third, 'love'. I don't have time for nor interest in any of that."

"Wow," Jinx said under her breath. "Our newest recruit has no life."

Red X turned and glared at her though the mask before looking down again as he spoke. "These riddles are for you. I got you the info. You get to figure it out," he said as he glanced at Jinx. "It's not like you have a date to get to or anything."

Jinx folded her arms and raised an eyebrow, tapping her Titans Communicator.

"Date," Robin said suddenly with realization in his voice. "The second riddle. A 'Date with destiny', a cruise ship, a 'beauty who was quite wordy', the boy was not worthy'… And Kwiz Kid said thinking about it fills _his_ heart with hate."

"You know who the 'beauty' is?" Jinx asked.

"And the 'boy'," Robin said. He turned away, speaking in a low grumble. "It's me."

"What?" Beast Boy asked.

"Oh, boy," Raven said, looking down and nodding in recognition.

"I know where to go," Robin said quickly. "It's close. I'll call you guys when I get there."

Robin shot a glance at Red X before pulling out his grapple gun and jumping up to a nearby rooftop.

"One down," Jinx said.

"Red X was right about the forest riddle," Raven admitted. "The 'one' with a plan has to be Slade."

"Slade's not important," Red X interjected.

"Ummm…" Beast Boy said, pointing straight up at the portals that littered the sky above.

"You shouldn't be focusing on Slade if that's the obvious part of the riddle," Red X said. "If I figured it out that quickly, Kwiz Kid would've expected you to as well."

"Slade's the constant," Jinx said. "The riddle said that 'two came for senseless fun' but it 'hid a plan for _one_ '."

"The plan obviously failed," Raven said thoughtfully. "But only because 'the two became loose ends'.

"Who are the 'two'?" Red X asked. "Two of you guys?"

"Senseless fun…" Beast Boy said quietly to himself.

Red X looked at him, getting the feeling that the Titan was onto something.

Beast Boy jumped up and down with excitement. "I know this one! I know this one!"

"And?" Raven said impatiently.

"The 'Beast Boy Insta-Lube 9000'," Beast Boy said proudly.

There was an awkward silence.

"I don't even want to know," Jinx said, turning to face the alley wall.

"It was senseless fun," Beast Boy said with a broad smile. His face contorted into an embarrassed look of guilt as he spoke quickly "And a bit of a payback ploy. But that's not the point."

"Get to the point, then," Red X urged.

"I wasn't the only one having 'senseless fun' that night," Beast Boy continued. He looked at Raven. "There were also two others. They totally thought they were having fun, but—"

"Slade was manipulating them," Raven completed. She nodded. "And then they stopped him. 'Unintended loose ends'."

"Why are you two still here?" Red X asked as Jinx turned forward again.

Beast Boy glared at Red X before turning to Jinx. "Make sure you keep an eye on him," the green Titan warned.

"You got it," Jinx said.

Raven grabbed Beast Boy's shoulder as a black eagle made of magic engulfed them, leaving and Jinx and Red X alone in the alley.

"Any idea what the last riddle is about?" Jinx asked.

"No," Red X said. "None of the clues have any relevance to me. Love, fun, amusement, joy; all pointless."

"You only consider them pointless because the Titans' definition of 'fun' and 'amusement' are different than yours," Jinx argued.

Red X intended to reply, but stopped, looking down in sudden contemplation.

"Glad you're submitting yourself to replace Raven as 'the grumpy one' eventually," Jinx grumbled. She shook her head. "Okay… 'to a child' and a 'place of joy' that can't be 'defined by age'."

Red X looked up and tapped his still folded arms but remained silent.

"So, it's a place that's fun for everyone," Jinx guessed. "Not that it limits the options all that much."

"Wherever it is, its not my territory," Red X said.

"Alright…" Jinx said. She looked down the alley for a moment before returning her gaze to Red X. "Tell me something. _If_ you had to take someone on a date to a place that isn't 'defined by age', where would go?"

"If it doesn't hold anything profitable, I wouldn't bother knowing about it," Red X said. He tipped his head slightly. "And since it's outside, profit value would be limited."

Jinx nodded. "Outside. Don't forget there was also water in the picture," she said, starting to pace. Red X unfolded his arms as Jinx stopped and spoke to him again. "So, keeping in mind that the picture was taken outside and near the water, where would you least likely to go to steal something?"

"The amusement park," Red X answered.

Jinx raised an eyebrow. "See?" she said, placing a hand on her hip. "You know what fun is. How else would you know what an—"

"There was a riddle in the riddle," Red X interrupted as he led the way out of the alley. "Kwiz Kid put 'fun' and 'amusement' in the same line. Fun and amusement mean the same thing, which means that one of the two was a noun not an adjective."

Jinx shook her head, talking under her breath. "He may not have a life, but at least he's educated."

Red X looked around. "How exactly are we supposed to get to the edge of the city? The amusement park isn't exactly close. And without my bike…"

Jinx smiled and grabbed her Communicator. "A little help getting to the amusement park?" she asked into the device. "And be somewhat gentle with the newbie. He's cool… for now.

Red X tipped his head in confusion.

There was a sudden rush of wind.

Red X turned toward the source and quickly shot adhesive rope onto the side of a building and ran up its surface, barely avoiding a fastmoving blur of yellow and red. Red X dropped safely to the ground and saw that Jinx was gone.

Red X looked left and right. "What the—"

Suddenly, Red X found himself on the ground, but he was no longer in the alley. There was an empty Ferris Wheel towering overhead.

"Nice landing," Jinx said, standing over him and offering a hand.

Red X ignored the hand, rose to his feet without a word, and shook out his cape.

Jinx pocketed a rose she was now holding and straightened out her lightning bolt necklace.

Red X looked around. All the rides were cleaned and polished, indicating that the amusement park was merely closed for the night. A few stray bits of trash littered the ground around him.

"Where's the dock?" Red X asked.

…

Raven and Beast Boy materialized at the edge of the city and started to make their way up a hill full of burnt trees.

"You need to control your emotions," Raven said to Beast Boy.

"You guys need to open your eyes," Beast Boy replied, looking straight ahead. "We can't trust him."

"Probably not," Raven admitted throwing aside a fallen tree with her magic. "But we can trust Robin. And Robin is choosing to bring in Red X."

"Whatever," Beast Boy said darkly. "At least _I'll_ be ready when he betrays us."

Raven turned and stood in front of Beast Boy, stopping him in his tracks. "You gave Thunder and Lightning their chance," she reminded him. " _We_ gave them a chance."

"That was different," Beast Boy said.

"How?"

"They were willing to listen," Beast Boy argued.

"Before or after fighting them twice?" Raven asked sarcastically. "You gave them a chance and they saved the city. Red X may not be any different."

"Fine," Beast Boy groaned, turning around and walking away. "But if you're wrong, _you_ have to admit that _I_ was right."

"Just like you're right going downhill when we're supposed to be going uphill?" Raven asked dryly, folding her arms.

Beast Boy put on the brakes and turned around, marching past Raven with an audible 'humph' and no small amount of embarrassment on his face.

Raven shook her head and groaned, continuing up the hill behind Beast Boy.

…

Robin finally landed on a dark and immobile cruise ship. He looked around. "How Kwiz Kid ever liked Kitten is beyond…"

Robin stopped speaking as he looked at the center of the lower deck, remembering the only dance he'd ever engaged in willingly. "I miss you, Starfire…"

Robin looked down at the deck, noticing that most of the moonlight was blocked. He turned and saw the large machine that was towering on top deck of the cruise ship.

…

Red X and Jinx walked side by side as the dock came into sight.

Jinx looked over. "So, tell me something, X."

"That's not my name," Red X said.

"Then give me your real name," Jinx replied.

Red X remained silent.

Jinx shrugged. "So… _X_ , you ever thought that with your skill set you should have joined up with someone. The Titans, H.I.V.E., Brotherhood of Evil, anything like that?"

"No," Red X said.

"Why not?"

"I've clashed with all of them and was unimpressed."

"We beat you earlier," Jinx said. "What exactly does it take to impress you?"

"Perseverance. Perspective. Profit."

"The 'Three P's" Jinx said, remembering back to her teachings at H.I.V.E.

"The Titans persevere," Red X said. "I give them that. But they lack perceptive and I see no real profit in joining them."

"The Titans have perspective," Jinx argued. "Good is better than bad. Giant holes in the sky are, mostly, bad. Titans dealing with the holes in the sky and the man who put them there is good. Seems pretty simple to me. As for profit… do you take no pride in the fact that you're helping people who are incapable of helping themselves?"

Red X didn't answer right away. He sighed. "For someone who's changed sides herself, you're pretty naïve, kid."

Jinx raised an eyebrow.

Red X continued. "Good and evil is all perspective and no perspective is right or wrong. So good and evil doesn't exist. Perspective is knowing where you need to go and how to get in and out successfully. Other than that, there's only profit. Taking what you can and giving nothing back. Everything else evens itself out on its own."

"You saved Robin during that race a while back," Jinx pointed out. "Sounds 'good' to me."

"He helped me, I helped him," Red X said. "We're even. Just like we'll be even after we deal with Slade and these portals."

Jinx nodded then looked at him again. "If you weren't part of H.I.V.E., how did you know about 'The Three P's'?"

"I'm educated."

Red X and Jinx walked along the dock and found what they were looking for. There was a giant machine standing in front of them. It was shaped like an ordinary telescope. The machine was long, cylindrical, and covered in metal plating. It was vibrating with power but was otherwise inactive.

"It's made from Xenothium," Red X said. "Enough to power my suit for a long—"

"Don't get any ide—" Jinx stopped, looking across the water. "That can't be good."

…

"Titans," Robin said, flipping out his Communicator. "I found what Slade left for us on this end."

"Let me guess," Jinx said. "Large, metal, brimming with Xenothium, and pointed in a very uncomfortable direction?"

Robin turned and followed the machine's gaze.

…

"Geeze," Beast Boy said, looking at the machine that was pointed straight at Titans Tower. "What is it with Slade and always trying to destroy the Tower. I mean, we only destroyed his hideout, like, twice."

"Titans Tower is not exactly easy to miss," Raven said, looking at the burnt trees all around them. Her gaze fell upon a still standing tree that had a slightly curved hole in its middle and a small burn mark. The tree was otherwise unharmed. Raven shook her head and walked across the clearing to join Beast Boy. "Why is Slade telling us where they are?"

"That's not what concerns me," Robin said. "My question is why does Slade have three modified Chronoton Detonators pointed at our tower."

…

"Chronoton Detonators," Red X said thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Beast Boy said, sounding confident. "You may not know what they are, but I've done my studying, and what they do is—"

"They permanently freeze time within the blast radius of a specific device," Red X replied as Jinx smiled at Beast Boy's face on the Communicator. Red X continued. "In this case; Titans Tower."

"But why hasn't he fired them?" Raven asked.

"Maybe he tried and they're duds like the last ones," Beast Boy offered. He hesitated. "I am _so_ not getting probed again."

"I doubt they're fake," Robin said.

"If they're made of Xenothium, it's likely that they're legit," Raven agreed.

"Well, _we_ can't be the targets," Jinx said. "We're out here."

"This is bigger," Red X said. He looked at Jinx. "What do you remember about my Merlyn Job?"

"You started by jamming ingoing and outgoing calls before making your move on the artifact," Jinx said. She thought for a moment before looking at Titans Tower. "You don't think…"

"He's right," Robin said. "If Slade were to use these on the Tower, he would stop the constant flow of data that's being uploaded to both the League and the other Towers. Our computers automatically update and upload new data. If we don't keep everything up to date, the world could be put in much greater danger."

"Great…" Jinx said.

"At least we would have the other Tower's," Beast Boy said. "They've been doing the same thing we have. We wouldn't lose everything."

"Not necessarily," Red X grunted.

"Chronoton technology is unstable and unpredictable," Raven agreed. "Theoretically, if it were to interrupt and freeze the flow of data, the effects would travel to the flow's endpoint."

"Immobilizing our entire defense network," Jinx said.

"I don't think I have to tell you guys what damage could be done with just a few seconds of no security," Red X said as he moved to examine the machine further. Upon further inspection he noticed a circular slot for a missing piece. "It doesn't matter. Slade doesn't have what he needs… yet."

Jinx walked forward and traced the slot with her finger.

"What's missing?" Robin asked. "I don't see anything on this machine."

"Not on ours, either," Beast Boy said.

"This must be the primary," Jinx said. She looked around at the empty dock. "Think we should destroy it?"

"If you want to risk blowing us up or permanently freezing your hook-up spot in time, be my guest," Red X said, folding his arms. "Personally, I'd be more concerned about what the Xenothium would do if it goes."

"You? Scared?" Jinx teased.

"Concerned."

"What does Slade still need?" Robin asked.

"A conduit," Raven answered after a few seconds. "He needs something for the power to go through in order to calibrate the machines and aim with precision."

"Anybody know where we can find something that can _aim_ time?" Beast Boy asked dramatically.

"Actually…" Robin said slowly. "We do."

"Warp's vortex regulator," Red X said.

"That makes sense," Raven agreed.

"And _where_ is that?" Beast Boy asked.

"I sent it to a group of trustable tech scientists in the south district," Robin said. A few seconds later, everyone's Communicators lit up with GPS coordinates for the tech center as Robin continued. "I'm only a mile away. I'll meet you there. If we can get to this thing before Slade, we can stop him."

"On our way," Beast Boy said.

Red X placed the Communicator on his hip. He sighed. "We need another quick lift."

Jinx smiled as she looked at her Communicator. "Tech Center. South Sector, please."

Jinx's Communicator beeped and the screen lit up.

"He's in Antarctica," Jinx said. "He'll be a second."

Red X braced himself.

"So… vortex regulator," Jinx said to Red X. "I might have missed that class."

"It's what Warp has used to travel through time on his heists," Red X explained. "It basically aims and fires Warp to a certain place in time. If Slade gets it…"

"He can trap the Tower," Jinx said. She sighed. "Time travel would be useful right about now. Kinda, you know, cheating, but useful."

"Perspective gets erased, profit is too easy, and nobody would learn to persevere," Red X said. He shook his head. "Time travel just shouldn't exist."

Jinx chuckled. "With everything you seem to know about stuff that you 'don't care about'… it makes me relived that you're _with_ us."

Red X looked south and spoke as Jinx's Communicator beeped twice. "I'm not with you."

Suddenly, they were in front of the tech center. A second later, Robin landed in front of them while Beast Boy and Raven materialized from a black raven made of magic.

"What happened to you?" Raven asked Red X, who was still standing, but breathing heavily.

"I hate lightspeed," Red X said, standing up straight.

"Well, don't expect to be riding on _my_ back anytime soon," Beast Boy grunted.

There was an explosion on the side of the building. Seconds later, ten commandos appeared.

Raven!" Robin called. "Check on the scientists! The rest of us, stop those commandos!"

The Titans charged as the commandos started running down the empty street.

Red X hesitated for just a moment before following, grabbing a small device from his belt and placing it on an X-shuriken.

Robin used his grapple gun to rope up to a rooftop.

Beast Boy turned into a bull and ran forward, impaling three of the commando's and knocking a fourth to the ground.

Jinx hopped onto Beast Boy's back and jumped off, cartwheeling through the air as she sent out a pink ray of energy. A nearby fire hydrant exploded and shot two more commandos off their feet.

Robin landed in front of the last four commandos. He quickly jumped and kicked, knocking aside one of the commando's blasters. The shot went wide, striking a nearby car that started to leak gas. Robin ducked and rolled with a follow-up punch, sending one commando to the ground with an uppercut and kicking another into the car.

Robin kicked backward, sending the first commando to the ground before grabbing the last commando's arm, jumping, and kicking the robot off its feet. Robin turned as the vortex regulator slid across the ground, where it was picked up by the commando who'd been thrown into the car.

The commando took off into an alley.

Robin was about to follow when two X-shurikens flew past him. The first hit the commando on the hip and lodged itself into the android's armor. The second X-shuriken hit the ground next to the car that was still leaking gas. With one spark, the car blew into the air before landing in front of the alley, preventing any chance of pursuit.

"What was _that_?" Robin snapped at Red X who slowly walked up to the car.

"That was me blocking your path," Red X said, stopping as the flames rose above them.

"He missed on purpose!" Beast Boy snarled.

"Like I said," Red X grunted.

Jinx rejoined them but remained silent.

"You want to get Slade, this is how we do it," Red X argued. "We give him the vortex regulator, he reveals his location."

"Track the regulator to his lair," Jinx said.

"This is crazy!" Beast Boy said as Raven returned. Beast Boy looked behind her at the scientists she'd rescued from the facility before returning his gaze to Robin. "Next thing you know, he'll be offering a trade for a partnership."

"And how'd that work out last time?" Red X asked, looking directly at Robin.

Robin looked Red X in the eye.

"Take me or leave me," Red X said, folding his arms.

Robin looked at Beast Boy, who shook his head, Raven, who remained silent, and Jinx, who simply shrugged.

Robin let out a breath. "We do it X's way."

"Red X."

"Whatever," Robin said. "We do it your way. But if you mess this up, you're going to jail."

"You say I'm with the Titans," Red X said. "Letting someone escape with stolen property is technically illegal. If this goes wrong, are we going to share a cell?"

"How are we going to track the commando?" Raven asked.

"The same way he tracks what he wants to steal back to storage," Jinx answered.

Red X glanced at her.

Jinx gave him a small smile. "Don't tell me you didn't put a tracker on that X-shuriken before you threw it."

Red X hesitated before grabbing another X-shuriken from his belt. He removed a small red chip, placed it into his Communicator, and typed in a code that linked the device to the tracker he had indeed placed on the weapon that was now lodged in the escaped commando's hip.

After a minute of watching, the dot representing the commando with the regulator stopped.

"A newspaper manufacturer," Raven said.

Red X looked at Raven and turned east. "Use your magic and let's go," he said.

The Titans grouped together.

Jinx moved to stand beside Red X.

Red X looked at her, speaking quietly. "You should've gone solo after you left H.I.V.E."

Jinx shrugged. "I'm too good for the criminal life," she said.

"That's why you'd be good at it," Red X said as a raven made of magic closed its wings around them.

…

Slade stood in the dark basement of the newspaper manufacturing plant, surrounded by moving pistons, conveyer belts, and pallets of newspaper.

Slade strapped the vortex regulator to his belt and heard a small explosion through the walls above him. He turned. _That was quicker than expected._

A wall near the upper walkway exploded in a burst of smoke.

Slade nodded and his commandos shot through the smoke with their blasters only to have black magic wrap around the blasts and send them sailing back toward their sources, rendering the weapon's useless.

…

Red X stepped back as Robin moved forward.

"Titans!" Robin called. "Go!"

Beast Boy, in the form of a small, green monkey, jumped through the smoke with a screech and grabbed onto a commando's shoulder. He used his momentum to spin the commando around, simultaneously throwing the android to the ground before beginning to leap from commando to commando, systematically eliminating them.

As Raven flew around the upper walkway, kicking and throwing commandos to the floor, Jinx jumped on a slanted conveyer belt and slid down. She crossed her arms and waved outward, snapping the ropes on a pallet full of paper at the bottom of the conveyer belt and scattering paper everywhere.

Red X and Robin materialized through the storm of newspapers, each unleashing a punch that threw sent two more commandos soaring toward Slade. Slade casually stepped aside as the commandos flew past on either side and hit the wall behind him.

"Slade," Robin said as he and Red X completed their move with a roll and rose simultaneously.

"Robin," Slade said casually with a nod, keeping his gaze focused on Red X.

"You were expecting us," Red X guessed.

"As a matter of fact," Slade said.

The walls all around him exploded, the shrapnel piercing the pistons and sending steam and smoke everywhere. More commandos ran through the smoke and toward the Titans.

"I was," Slade completed.

"It won't matter," Robin warned.

"Won't it?" Slade taunted.

"Robin!" Beast Boy called.

Red X and Robin turned and saw that the other Titans were slowly being pushed back into a corner by the almost overwhelming force of commandos.

Red X turned back to Slade, speaking to Robin. "Go help your team. I can take him."

"Not alone," Robin argued.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven grabbed two large machines and placed them between the Titans and the commandos.

The robots charged forward, using their rocket-boots to jump over the machines and land in front of the Titans.

"Go," Red X said.

"Don't underestimate him!" Robin warned as he ran toward the Titans.

Red X turned to Slade.

"It's time to talk," Slade said. He grabbed the X-shuriken that Red X planted on his commando from his belt and threw it to the ground. Slade casually stepped on the X-shuriken, breaking it in half before motioning around him. "After all, this entire night… has been for you."

"I know," Red X said.

"You know why you're here," Slade assumed.

"Same reason any two highly intelligent people meet face to face for the first time," Red X said as the two became surrounded by smoke and steam. "To start a partnership or to leave as rivals."

"I see you 're open to options," Slade said. "That is good. That means you're resourceful."

Red X jumped and attempted a downward punch.

…

Robin leapt over the machines as the commandos bared down on his team.

Still in midair, Robin took two birdarangs from his belt and combined them, creating a sword. Robin landed, slashing left at one commando, then right at another before spinning and beheading a third commando.

As one of the commandos grabbed Robin's arms, the Boy Wonder separated the birdarangs into two and hacked through the commando's arm. Robin stabbed the commando through the chest and spun with the two birdarangs, taking out two more commandos and giving his team a chance to regroup.

…

Red X rolled to his feet as Slade threw him to the ground.

"Tell me, young man," Slade said, taking a step back. "When did you know I was testing you?"

"Pretty quick," Red X answered. He unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks that Slade merely sidestepped or dodged, keeping his hands behind his back. Red X jumped and kicked, was blocked, and landed a few steps back from Slade. "You knew I'd pay attention to anything Xenothium."

"Indeed," Slade said. "But when did you know I wanted to talk to _you_?"

"You wanted to be found," Red X said, activating his wrist-mounted blades. "If you didn't want us to find you, you would've cloaked the Chronoton Detonators like you have the portal generators."

"Hmm," Slade said, stepping forward. "It seems I have less to teach you then I thought. Impressive."

"I'm solo," Red X said. "I'm not interested in a teacher. I don't need one."

"Then why haven't you hit me?" Slade asked.

Red X charged again.

…

Robin threw three explosive discs and the air.

As the weapons exploded, Raven grabbed the explosion with her magic and used the black energy to drive the carnage straight down onto a group of ten commandos.

Across the room, on an upper catwalk, another wall blew open as more commandos came pouring in.

Jinx slid past Beast Boy, flicking her wrist. A ray of pink energy flew into a nearby conveyer belt. With a burst of electricity, the machine overloaded, and the conveyer belt sped up, shooting batches of newspaper out like cannons.

Beast Boy turned into a tall, furry sasquatch and grabbed the conveyer belt, wrenching it off its base and lifting it above his head, firing the newspapers directly at the incoming commandos.

…

Red X slashed horizontally with his right blade and reached out with his left hand, attempting to snatch the vortex regulator from Slade's belt.

Slade ducked and spun around behind Red X before blocking a follow-up blow with one hand still behind his back. Slade kicked Red X in the back and sent the thief rolling across the floor.

Red X stood, breathing somewhat heavily.

"It seems you are distracted," Slade said. "That last blow seemed… hesitant. Previous apprentices only did so when they questioned my methods… or their own."

"I'm assuming you sent the Titans the tip on Warp so he wouldn't go after the regulator until you were ready," Red X said, breathing normally now. "Tell me; if this was all for me, are the Chronoton Detonators even real?"

"Of course they are," Slade said simply. He turned his back to Red X and gazed at the Titans, who were slowly beginning to push back the army of commandos. "Should you have failed to find me, the Chronoton Detonators would have done their jobs and locked Titans Tower in time, crippling their defense network. However, the fact that you found me makes little difference. The Titans failed the moment I opened the portals."

Red X lunged forward again with his right arm. Slade ducked under the blow and spun, grabbing the thief's arm and driving it into a nearby piece of machinery. Slade chopped sideways broke the weapon off at the base of Red X's wrist.

"Are you still having fun," Slade asked calmly, taking three steps back.

"Always," Red X answered.

Red X swung around, throwing two X-shurikens at once. Slade deflected the weapons using his armored wrists and leaned back to dodge a slice from Red X's left wrist-blade. Slade sidestepped the blow and grabbed Red X's arm, throwing him to the ground.

Slade stepped on Red X's arm and punched the wrist-mounted blade, shattering the weapon on impact. Slade released the thief and stepped back again as Red X rose to his feet.

"I'm glad you're still having fun," Slade said, folding his arms. "I, however, find little amusement in fighting you. If this is what you call fighting."

"Fun…" Red X said thoughtfully. "Fun and amusement. Kwiz Kid's riddles. Those were meant for me too."

A burnt forest…

 _In this place, two came for senseless **fun**._

An abandoned cruise ship…

 _And the **amusing** beauty who came with him was quite wordy._

A moonlit dock…

 _This destination has brought **fun and amusement** to many a boy and girl._

"Yes," Slade confirmed.

"Kwiz Kid doesn't have poker face," Red X said. He adjusted his gloves. "If you'd contacted him, I'd have known."

"And?" Slade pressed.

"How did you know his clues would relate to me if you two never met?"

Slade didn't answer.

Red X folded his arms. "Not that I'm interested, but… why me? You just freed hundreds of criminals. And while you'd have difficulty finding individuals with my talents, I'm just a thief. So why me?"

Slade put his hands behind his back again. "You have now asked me three questions that you don't know the answer to. Were the Chronoton Detonators real? How did I know that Kwiz Kid would give riddles that would lead you here? And why you? Tell me, my young thief. Do you still believe there is nothing you can learn from me?"

Using both gloves, Red X quickly reached out and shot adhesive rope in Slade's direction. Slade stepped to the right and stood between the ropes as they shot past him, latching on to two tall machines.

Slade glanced behind him and turned back to see Red X moving as far back as he could with the rope, stretching adhesive to its maximum length. As Red X slingshot himself across the room, Slade ducked, narrowly avoiding an incoming kick.

As Red X neared the machines that the adhesive was attached too, he released his grip on the substance, kicked off the machines on impact, and used the momentum to backflip over Slade.

Slade turned again as Red X aimed a downward kick at Slade. Slade backed up to avoid the blow but received a follow-up punch to the face that brought him to a knee.

"Looks like I hit you," Red X commented, standing over Slade.

Slade slowly looked up at him. "Can you hit me again?" he asked quietly.

Red X unleashed a kick with his left leg. Slade grabbed the discarded adhesive off the ground and them grabbed Red X's leg, pulling it under his arm. The commando blocked another punch before tying the adhesive around the thief's leg.

Red X couldn't move as Slade tugged him forward, elbowed him in the stomach, and threw him backward to the ground with a hand on the thief's mask.

…

Robin threw another commando to the ground and looked up as Slade stood with a boot on Red X's chest.

Nearby, Raven used her magic to wrap a conveyer belt around a group of commandos, crushing them in seconds.

Robin ran forward to assist the fallen thief as Slade stepped back.

Slade glanced at Robin for a moment and as Red X cut himself free of the adhesive.

A few of the machines surrounding Slade and Red X exploded. The resulting debris blocked Robin's ability to reach the two figures who were once again surrounded by smoke and steam.

…

Red X looked at the commando standing over him.

"You know why I keep letting you get back up," Slade assumed.

"You're… testing me," Red X answered, somewhat out of breath as he laid on the ground.

"I'm giving you the chance to test yourself with something greater than petty robberies," Slade corrected. "In time, one way or another, your greatest test will be me. Your apprenticeship will guarantee you eventual success. All you need to do, is accept."

…

Jinx ducked under a punch and placed a hand that pulsated with energy against a commando's chest, causing a short-circuit that sent the robot to the ground. She looked through the smoke to see Slade's silhouette offer Red X's a hand.

…

Beast Boy, in the form of a mammoth, charged through ten commandos at once. He returned to human form as he saw Red X take Slade's offered hand and rise to his feet.

Slade reached into his belt as smoke separated the pair sight.

…

Red X stepped back and nodded at Slade.

Slade nodded as well and turned, running through the smoke and out of sight.

…

Beast Boy ran up to Red X as the smoke cleared.

Red X turned to him, one hand behind his back.

"I saw you," Beast Boy said accusingly as Jinx moved to stand beside him. "I saw you and Slade."

"You don't know what you saw," Red X said.

Jinx looked between them but didn't offer an opinion.

"Slade's gone," Raven said, landing behind Red X.

"What about the vortex regulator," Robin asked, standing beside Raven.

" _He_ let him get away with it," Beast Boy growled, pointing at Red X.

Robin folded his arms, staring at the thief.

Red X extended the hand from behind his back and held up the vortex regulator. "Why do you think I let Slade help me up?" the thief asked Beast Boy.

Jinx gave a Red X a small smile as Beast Boy's mouth dropped open.

Raven folded her arms, her expression guarded.

Robin held out a hand for the regulator.

Red X ignored Robin, turned, and offered the regulator to Beast Boy.

Beast Boy raised an eyebrow and slowly took the regulator. Beast Boy took a small step back and nodded at Red X reluctantly.

…

Back at the Tower, the Titans and Red X gathered in the living room as Raven returned from entrusting Herald with the regulator and overseeing the safe dismantling of the Chronoton Detonators.

"It's done," Raven said to Robin with a nod.

Robin nodded back.

They all turned to the central monitor as it lit up and the symbol of a bat appeared.

"It's time," Robin said calmly.

"Already?" Jinx asked with quietly with regret.

"They wanted me two days ago," Robin said. He looked at Red X. "I had something to finish first."

Red X folded his arms but didn't say a word.

Jinx walked up to Robin and held out a hand. "It's been an honor," she said. "Whether I was with H.I.V.E. or the Titans, it's always been an honor."

Robin grasped the hand. "As a Titan, the honor has been mine."

Raven turned away as Beast Boy looked down.

Robin slowly walked around Raven. "We both knew it would come to this eventually," he said gently.

"We've experienced so much together," Raven said softly as a tear rolled down her face. "Even after I became the portal and caused… you we're always there."

"The _Titans_ were always there," Robin corrected. He looked around the room, taking a deep breath. "The Titans will always be here. You'll never be alone."

Raven slowly nodded as she wiped away the tear.

Robin turned away.

"Robin," Raven said quickly. She opened her mouth to speak before letting out a breath. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Robin said, sparing Raven the need to reveal her true emotions.

Robin looked at Red X as Beast Boy looked at Raven and gave her a gentle nod.

"I expect you to behave," Robin said to Red X.

"Good luck with that," Red X replied. "You know I'm only here until this is done."

Robin gave him satisfied half smile. "Until then… you keep our world safe."

" _Your_ world," Red X corrected. " _My_ playground."

Robin grunted. He finally turned to Beast Boy as Red X moved to a nearby control panel.

Beast Boy slowly raised a hand in salute.

Robin chuckled. "We're way beyond that," he said. He looked around the living room. "The team is yours now."

Beast Boy looked down. "I don't want another leader," he said softly. "And I don't like to the play the leader either. Not unless I have to."

"Being the leader doesn't have to be the same as team being yours," Robin said.

Beast Boy looked over Robin's shoulder at Red X.

"He may be smart, he may be a strategist, and he may take the lead," Robin said to Beast Boy. "But he will never be the _heart_ of this team."

Beast Boy thought for a moment then stood proudly.

"You were the first to join me," Robin said, placing a hand on Beast Boy's shoulder. "Promise me that Red X won't be the last to join _you_."

"He won't," Beast Boy promised.

Robin lowered his arm.

Beast Boy lowered his voice. "I still don't trust him."

"He won't take off the mask," Robin promised. "He'll cooperate."

"I'll still be watching," Beast Boy said.

" _We'll_ be watching," Raven said, moving to stand next to Beast Boy.

Robin nodded and walked to the open window. He turned one last time and looked around the room, exchanging nods with every member of the team and with Red X.

Robin looked down, nodding to himself and speaking quietly. "Titans, go."

Robin fell backwards out of the window, activated his red and yellow winged glider, and flew out of sight.

…

Red X finished filing the briefing on the night's events as Beast Boy and Raven walked to the open window.

"So," Jinx said from behind Red X. "Slade beat you."

"Not yet," Red X promised. He looked at the Titans Communicator on his belt.

"Just for the record," Jinx said, leaning up against the control panel. "I trust you."

Red X glanced at her. "I don't care," he replied.

Jinx shrugged. "Whatever, X."

"The name is 'Red X'."

"Yeah…" Jinx said with yawn as she walked away. "I don't care."

Red X shook his head as a larva slid up next to him and nudged his leg. The thief raised an eyebrow. "What are you?"

"His name's Silkie," Beast Boy said, moving to Red X. "He's kind of our mascot. You'll get used to him."

Red X slowly nodded.

Beast Boy nodded as well.

Red X turned back to the computer and opened files on all Honorary Titans.

"What are you doing?" Jinx asked casually, returning with a cup of water.

"Looking for a tech," Red X answered.

"Good luck," Beast Boy said. "Most of them have already gone through the portals."

"Isolate your assets," Red X grunted sarcastically. "Great strategy."

Beast Boy folded his arms. "Well, there is one tech that's still here," he said. "He just tends keep himself buried in the junkyard."

Red X turned to Beast Boy.

Alarms began to sound around the Tower.

"Trouble," Raven said.

Red X nodded as Jinx and Beast Boy ran toward the door.

Red X glanced at the Communicator on his belt again and looked up to see Raven staring at him.

…

Slade sat down at his desk and looked at the Communicator in his hand. After a few seconds, he opened it and hit two buttons. There was series of beeps before a live image of the living room in Titans Tower appeared.

Slade thought about the trade that'd he'd made with the young thief.

Red X's Communicator was now in his possession.

The Communicator that the young thief now held was a tool provided by Slade's previous apprentice.

Slade leaned back. _The asset is in place._


	6. Next Week on Ep:4 of Teen Titans Dawn

**Next Week on Teen Titans Dawn…**

"Perhaps I can offer an alternative," somebody said from behind Overload.

…

The being placed his hands together. _By dawn, you shall help me ascend. I shall finally understand what it is again to truly be… human._

A cracked monitor lit up in the corner of the room and an alarm sounded as the room started to flash with blue light.

…

"I call him 'XY'," Fixit explained.

"Can it do everything you can do?" Jinx asked, gazing at Fixit's lookalike.

"I created him as my equal in order to achieve maximum learning efficiency," Fixit said. "However, it's powers of calculation only exceed my own in one respect."

"Humans," Red X said.

…

"I have concluded my processing of data," XY said in a voice that sounded just like Fixit's. "I believe that your ability to understand what it is to be human is incomplete due to your limited interaction with humans themselves."

…

XY tipped his head. "Even I cannot comprehend what is preventing your understanding of 'the human soul'."

"That's why we're here," Raven said.

"Precisely," XY said. He turned away from Fixit to speak to the captured Titans and Red X. "I have subdued and brought you here to act as references to aid Fixit in his efforts to become more human."

…

"There is only one question that I feel can provide the answer I require," Fixit said. "What does it mean… to be human?"

…

As XY looked up, Fixit struck the outside of the window with his palm. The window shattered.

Fixit slowly stepped down from his perch. "I am ready," he said.


	7. Episode IV: Fixit

Deep within the Jump City junkyards, a single cybernetic being was hard at work. The being, as always, was mostly covered by a black cloak.

The room itself, hidden from the portal-covered night sky aboveground, was dark aside from the occasional flashes of white and blue light.

A few tools and gadgets floated over and around the being. The being's eyes flashed bright blue and the one of the devices moved to the being's latest scientific project that lay on the long metal desk in front of him. The device latched onto the project and slowly turned, pressing in one last screw.

The flashes of lights created by the tools and gadgets ceased. The cybernetic being allowed the objects to fall to the ground and the overhead light came back on, illuminating the room.

The being looked upon his creation. _Good. At last, you are complete._

The being took a step back and his eyes flashed again, raising the metal desk to a vertical position before wrapping his creation in a silver cloak with black straps and zippers.

The being placed his hands together. _By dawn, you shall help me ascend. I shall finally understand what it is again to truly be… human._

A cracked monitor lit up in the corner of the room and an alarm sounded as the room started to flash with blue light.

The being walked up to the monitor, examining the briefing that materialized onscreen. _Electric powerplant. Massive fluctuations detected. Probability of hostile intention… high. Threat level… unknown. Assistance shall be offered._

…

Red X turned down a dark alley and stopped, thoughtfully glancing at the Titans Communicator that rested on his hip.

After a few seconds, Red X shook his head and continued out of the alley, standing across the street from an electric powerplant. Red X looked down at a puddle left behind by the mid-day rain and saw portals reflected in the sky above.

For a brief second, a green hawk could be seen flying past the reflection.

Red X grunted. "You really need to work on your tailing skills."

The hawk screeched and dropped down behind Red X.

"You _just_ noticed me?" Beast Boy said, resuming his human form with a cocky smile. "I've only been tailing you for—"

"Twenty minutes and forty-two seconds give or take," Red X said as Beast Boy's mouth dropped open. "I could have easily lost you in the alley. All of them, actually."

"Maybe if you weren't sneaking off every night, I wouldn't feel the need to keep an eye on you," Beast Boy said defensively.

"You're talking as if _you_ don't sneak off to that school once a week?" Red X retorted. He sighed. "If you like the girl, just talk to her. But I don't think she'll appreciate you stalking her."

"I'm not stalking her," Beast Boy argued, speaking quickly. "I'm just keeping her safe. Plus, there's a game store right next to it and—"

"And she can't protect herself the way she used to," Red X said as he started walking. His voice held no judgment. "And if you want to keep using the excuse that your favorite game store is close by, be my guest. I really don't care."

"Yeah…" Beast Boy said as he walked behind Red X. "I bet video games are _way_ beyond your interest."

"Ever since I got the world high score on Mega Monkeys 4.2, I've been going easy on the gaming," Red X answered, turning to walk alongside the electric powerplant.

A few of the coils on the power conduits started to spark, briefly drawing the thief's attention

"That was _you_ who got the high score?" Beast Boy asked excitedly. He quickened his pace so that he was walking beside Red X as he continued to speak. "How'd you get past level five without getting hit? Because I—"

Red X stopped and glanced at Beast Boy for a moment.

Beast Boy closed his mouth quickly and looked down, trying to act confident. "I mean… that's cool. But I bet you didn't get your MM4 copy from—"

"Eastern Zandia," Red X said, continuing to walk.

Beast Boy groaned.

"I was _second_ person to pre-order it," Red X allowed. "It's nice to see you have _some_ taste."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to reply when a large burst of electricity from the powerplant lit up the street. Red X and Beast Boy looked at each other before jumping over a fence and running into the field of electric towers located at the center of the plant.

They were greeted by a large being made mostly of white electricity. The being was outlined with a light blue aura and there was an intricately lined red and black circuit card in the villain's chest. With each new burst of light, the being absorbed more electricity and grew larger.

It was now twice as tall as Beast Boy and Red X.

"X, Beast Boy?" Jinx called through their Communicators. "Are you two anywhere near the—"

"Electric powerplant?" Beast Boy suggested. "Uh… you could say that."

"It's Overload," Red X explained as the electric giant turned to them, roaring loudly. "Get here."

Overload started to walk forward. "Titans…" he growled slowly.

Red X threw an X-shuriken at Overload and it was batted aside. Beast Boy ran forward, jumping and turning into a hippo. He landed on a large puddle, creating a wave of water that sailed toward Overload.

Overload took a cautious step back to avoid the one element that could hurt him as Beast Boy resumed his human form and returned to Red X. A few seconds later, Raven and Jinx materialized out of a raven made of magic. Red X gave them a nod and they turned to face Overload.

"Overload needed charge," the electric being said, motioning to the towers around them. "Now, Overload get revenge. Two birds, one stone."

"If you have no charge," Jinx said, stepping forward. "Then you don't get revenge."

"Wait!" Raven warned.

Jinx rushed forward and slid through a puddle, sending waves of pink energy all around. A few towers burst with electricity and shorted out, but not before Overload sucked the electricity from the air and into his own body, making him even larger.

Jinx's eyes widened as Overload threw electricity in her direction. Red X reacted quickly, latching onto Jinx with Xenothium adhesive and yanking her out of the way. Jinx landed on her feet and gracefully spun out of the adhesive. The Titans and Red X slowly turned and looked at her.

"Oops," Jinx said with an embarrassed look.

Overload roared and charged forward. Raven glided into the air as her hands began to glow. The mud that covered the ground rose into the air and flew in Overload's direction. Overload stretched his form, allowing the mud to fly under his left arm and increased his size yet again using a nearby tower.

"Any ideas?" Raven asked.

"Jinx was right," Red X said. "No electricity means no power." He looked at Raven.

Raven raised an eyebrow.

Red X started running in Overload's direction. "Just keep up."

Red X propelled himself off an inactive tower and jumped high in the air, using both hands to shoot adhesive at an electrified tower near Overload. The adhesive made contact and Red X swung himself around the tower.

Overload attempted to draw electricity from the tower but withdrew his arm in anger when the Xenothium blocked his path. Red X landed on the ground briefly and looked at Raven.

Raven nodded. "Take out the towers."

Beast Boy turned into a mammoth and charged toward the nearest tower, digging his tusks into the ground and upending one of the sources of Overload's power.

Jinx gathered her energy again and sent hexes into the screws and bolts that held up a nearby tower. The supports popped off and the tower fell apart.

Red X jumped again, still attached to the tower.

Raven raised her arms. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Magical energy surrounded Red X, vastly increasing his momentum and allowing him to quickly wrap the entire tower in Xenothium, rendering it useless. Red X released his grip and, still in midair, attached himself to another tower.

Overload was slowly pushed back, trying in vain to hit the Titans as they destroyed or immobilized the towers.

Minutes later, only a handful of towers remained.

Suddenly, Overload stopped and started to chuckle.

"Wait!" Red X ordered, coming to a stop as Jinx and Beast Boy moved toward the final towers.

Overload laughed and spoke again as the Titans froze. "No towers, no electricity," the electric being mocked. He motioned to the rest of the bright city in the distance. "No electricity means city in danger from portals and other criminals."

"He's right," Raven said, floating to the ground. "We'll lose all power in this sector if we keep this up."

"I _hate_ it when the villains are smart," Beast Boy said loudly.

"Anybody have a Plan B?" Jinx asked.

"Perhaps I can offer an alternative," somebody said from behind Overload.

Overload turned to see the cybernetic being, Fixit, standing behind him.

Fixit was dressed in his usual black coat that was held together by several silver zippers and straps. His eyes were a shade of light blue and his forehead held a power core that allowed him to manipulate the fifty handmade, waist-high robots of various shapes and sizes that started to dig themselves up through the dirt behind him and the electric giant.

Fixit took one step forward, speaking to Overload. "I offer you one last chance to surrender."

Overload laughed and swung an electric arm down at Fixit. Fixit gracefully dodged to the side before joining the Titans. Overload attempted to strike him again. Fixit kept his back to the villain and continued to dodge the attacks.

Red X jumped down in front of Fixit.

Fixit looked at Red X for a moment before speaking to the Titans, still dodging Overload's blows. "It is good to see you again Titan Beast Boy, Titan Raven, and Titan Jinx. If you would like to continue removing the towers, I will keep Overload occupied and the city's power operational."

Red X saw Jinx raise an eyebrow, seemingly confused as to how Fixit knew of her.

"How are you going to keep power on in the city if we take out the towers?" Beast Boy asked.

"My creations will attend to that," Fixit answered, dodging one last blow from Overload.

Fixit turned, his eyes flashing. The various robots linked their bodies together and started to glow as well, gathering all the nearby electricity. Seconds later, one of the robots went underground. Lines of white light glowed from beneath the ground, traveling across the city and to all known power stations.

"Cool light show," Jinx commented.

"My creations have become the temporary power source for the city and will maintain electrical balance until such time that this station is repaired," Fixit explained.

Raven placed a shield around everyone as Overload fired several bursts of electricity in their direction before roaring in anger.

"Let's go!" Beast Boy said.

Raven released the shield and Beast Boy turned into a mammoth again as he and Jinx charged into the final group of towers.

Fixit turned to Red X as Raven started to provide cover for Jinx and Beast Boy.

"What are you?" Red X asked Fixit, folding his arms.

"I…" Fixit seemed to think for a moment. "I wish to be human. My purpose to is to aid the Teen Titans, better the human aspects of myself, and protect the city."

"Can you be hacked?" Red X asked.

"No," Fixit said. He took a step forward, offering a mechanical hand. "I have yet to make your acquaintance. I am Fixit. You are Thief Red X. Temporary ally of the Teen Titans. You are adept in the use of Xenothium, efficient in acrobatics, advanced in multiple forms of hand-to-hand combat, and have a higher escape rate than any criminal currently residing in Jump City."

"You're well informed," Red X said.

"Hellooo!" Beast Boy called as he and Jinx destroyed the final tower. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a criminal to deal with here!"

"Temporary Titan Red X," Fixit said, reaching into his pocket and extracting two silver spherical devices. "If you would allow it, I would like to test my new adaptor probes on your Xenothium adhesive. I believe that by combining them, I can—"

Red X glanced over Fixit's shoulder and saw Overload grab two fallen electrical towers off the ground, infuse them with a minimum amount of electricity and throw them their direction.

Red X pushed Fixit out of the way before rolling to the side, barely avoiding the large projectiles.

Red X turned to Fixit. "I believe in doing rather than talking," the thief said. "Are your devices ready?"

"They are."

Red X turned to Overload and shot adhesive in the giant's direction. Fixit threw the probes into the adhesive. As the adhesive reached Overload, Fixit's eyes began to glow bright blue.

The probes in the Xenothium glowed blue as well. Then, as Fixit moved his hand, the adhesive stretched and wrapped itself around Overload, blinding the electric villain.

"Cool trick, Fixit," Beast Boy called.

"Let's take him down," Jinx said.

Beast Boy turned into an elephant.

Jinx looked at a nearby fire hydrant and waved her hand in its direction. The fire hydrant glowed with pink energy before extensive water pressure built up at its base and finally burst through the ground.

Raven raised her hand, motioning to the rising water. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Raven used her magic to guide the water into Beast Boy's mouth. Beast Boy turned in Overload's direction as Red X released the adhesive ropes.

Fixit waved his hand again and the probes deactivated. The adhesive cocoon around Overload fell apart. Overload turned only to be greeted by a blast of water from Beast Boy's elephant trunk.

Without a power source to draw upon and unable to reach Fixit's robots for a burst of electricity, Overload shorted out, his scream of anger and pain deteriorating into an electronic whine. His electric body disappeared, leaving only the red and black circuit card on the ground.

The Titans and Red X relaxed and looked at each other.

Red X nodded respectfully at Fixit as the Titans reached them.

"It's good to see you," Raven said to Fixit.

"Like, really good," Beast Boy agreed, tossing Overload's circuit card up and down in his hand.

Jinx slowly walked forward, looking at Fixit. "So, uh… what's your story?" she asked.

Fixit smiled slightly.

…

 **There's new trouble. We know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **The old Titans, they can't stop it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **With all the evil on the attack,**

 **they won't rest until they got your back.**

 **The world will need more heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **Now a new team must come to the light…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Our world will surly perish if they don't unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **There's a path must be run.**

 **A path that leads straight to the dawn.**

 **'Cause without Titans, evil gains control…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **DAWN!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

 **Fixit:**

"Perhaps… I am the one in need of repairs."

– Fixit. Season 1: Episode 5 "The Sum of His Parts."

…

 ** _"Fixit"_**

Fixit looked up at the portals that covered the sky and then at the city below. "We should make repairs to this station quickly. My creations may be needed elsewhere soon."

"So… no 'hi'?" Beast Boy asked.

Fixit turned to Beast Boy, speaking calmly. "Hello, Titan Beast Boy."

"It's just Beast Boy," the green Titan clarified.

Raven lowered her hood. "Raven's good for me too."

Jinx held out a hand. "Jinx is fine," she said as Fixit shook her hand firmly. Jinx pointed at Red X. "You can call him 'X'."

" _Red_ X," the thief corrected. "And don't ever call me a Titan."

Fixit nodded and turned to the power station again as the Titans looked at each other.

…

"I've got an idea," Beast Boy said suddenly. He looked at Raven. "What do you think?"

Raven raised an eyebrow and slowly nodded. "I'm surprised that you thought of that right away," she admitted.

Beast Boy stuck out his tongue. "You're just jealous that you didn't think of it first," he gloated.

…

"They're doing it again," Jinx said to Red X as Raven and Beast Boy continued to banter. "Reading each other's minds and not talking to us."

"I keep up alright," Red X said, folding his arms.

"I do too," Jinx said quickly. "Still… it's cool to watch."

…

"This type of interaction is still confusing to me," Fixit commented, scanning the damage of the battle. He finished and turned back to the Titans and Red X. "I estimate that it will take three hours and twenty-two minutes to complete repairs."

"Sounds like fun," Beast Boy said unenthusiastically.

Raven elbowed Beast Boy in the arm. "Get on with your idea," she said irritably.

Beast Boy stepped forward, extracting a Communicator from his belt. "How would you like to be a Teen Titan, Fixit?"

Fixit looked at the device for a moment. He closed his eyes, running through scenarios. "This question has many factors," he said carefully. "It is wisest to complete repairs to this area before continuing this conversation."

…

"This could take a while," Jinx said quietly to Red X with an amused look.

"The repairs can be done in seconds," Red X said, looking at her and tapping his folded arms.

Jinx raised an eyebrow and sighed, grabbing her Communicator. "Alright," she said dramatically. "I'll see if he's in the country."

…

Fixit held up a hand as Beast Boy started describing how cool it would be to live in Titans Tower.

Beast Boy continued talking until Raven placed a hand over his mouth.

Fixit turned to see Jinx pulling a six-pack of energy bars out of her pocket.

Fixit opened his mouth to question her but stopped as his eyes flashed. "I'm detecting a massive break in the sound barrier," Fixit said. "I estimate that the source of the break will arrive in five, four, three—"

A blur of yellow and red flew between everyone and the electrical towers seemingly started to repair themselves.

Fixit noticed that Red X had unfolded his arms.

Fixit ignored thief and scanned the constantly moving blur, receiving a highly pixilated image of a young man.

The final tower suddenly stood upright, and the yellow and red blur flew between them again.

Fixit turned back to the Titans and Red X.

Jinx was now holding a rose in place of the energy bars and there was a hat in the shape of a cheese wedge on her head. The Titan pocketed the rose and walked up to Fixit, placing the hat on Red X's head as she passed the thief.

"That's my boyfriend," Jinx explained as Red X quickly took off the hat before tossing it to Beast Boy. Jinx shrugged. "He was in Wisconsin."

"I am impressed by his ability to reconstruct the towers so quickly and efficiently," Fixit said. "I understand that it generally takes humans, even those who are enhanced, a good deal of time to learn the finer points of construction and electrical engineering."

"He speed-reads," Jinx replied.

"So," Beast Boy said, placing the hat on his head. "About you joining the Titans…"

"I believe that I would make the team more…" Fixit stopped speaking, searching for the right word. "Efficient."

"I would agree with that," Raven said, eyeing Fixit's robots as they unlinked themselves and started to disappear underground.

"You definitely passed the impromptu audition," Jinx said, motioning to the circuit card in Beast Boy's hand.

Fixit turned and looked to Red X.

Red X stepped forward, folding his arms again. "I agree that you have the skill set and tech abilities that they're looking for," he said with a grunt. "But I can already tell that you seem to lack the improvisational skills required to beat our enemies. You always calculate before moving. For example, Jinx's boyfriend arrived two seconds earlier than you predicted. What if that was an attack or a bomb? Calculation's not always a luxury we have."

"Hmm…" Fixit said thoughtfully. He looked up again. "Please, come to my home. There is something I wish to show all of you."

Beast Boy slowly placed the Communicator on his hip.

Fixit turned and started to walk away without another word.

…

Red X lingered near the back of the group as the Titans moved to follow Fixit, throwing a glance at the Titans Communicator on his belt.

…

Raven held out her hand to Beast Boy.

Beast Boy handed her Overload's circuit card.

Raven took the card and held out her hand again.

"No way," Beast Boy said, glancing at the cheese hat on his head and folding his arms.

Raven sighed.

Beast Boy turned to follow Fixit again only to have the hat snatched by a hand of black energy. The hat landed in Raven's palm. A line appeared from her hand and flew back to Titans Tower miles away. When the line disappeared, the circuit card and hat were gone.

Beast Boy groaned.

"I'm not going to be seen anywhere near you when you're wearing that," Raven said.

Behind them, Jinx smiled and looked at Red X as the thief caught up to the group.

…

Fixit led the Titans to the junkyard, underground, and past his robot guards.

"Does old man Tito mind you still living down here?" Beast Boy asked, his voice echoing down the hall.

"We have an arrangement," Fixit said. "I provide power and repairs when needed, and in return I get exclusive picks on all electronics as well as a free charging station."

"You made these?" Jinx asked, eyeing the mismatched and cobbled-together robots.

"Things come to me broken," Fixit explained. "I make repairs and modifications."

"There aren't as many as the first time we were here," Raven commented as Beast Boy started to count with a finger.

"I have dispatched many of my creations to oversee portal operations," Fixit replied.

"Are they dangerous?" Red X asked.

"Only when provoked."

"And who decides when they are provoked?" Red X pressed.

"I understand your suspicion of me," Fixit said, turning to Red X as they reached the lab and moved to its center. "I have learned through my study of humans that trust does not come easily to your… our kind. Especially for those in your specific line of work, Red X."

"I trust your technology to do what it's programmed for," Red X said, looking around the room full of monitors as the lights activated. "But what happens when your technology is not enough?"

"Repairs and modifications are made."

"To yourself?" Red X pressed. "What happens when _you_ fail?"

"Sentients evolve," Raven said to Red X. "That's how all species work."

"They evolve naturally," Red X said. "Developing new codes and making modifications is not the same thing."

"Why can't it be?" Beast Boy asked. "I mean, we 'modified' your mask by putting a tracking device on it and you adjusted in the blink of an eye."

"I adapted," Red X corrected. "Not adjusted. I haven't changed."

"Yet," Jinx muttered.

Red X glanced at her. "What I mean," he said, turning back to Fixit as he continued. "Is that humans and other sentients adapt. You don't adapt. It's all calculation."

"Your point being?" Raven asked.

"Willpower is the ultimate power," Red X clarified. "Calculations have nothing to do with it. You can adjust, you can change your programming, but you can't go beyond it. You are limited."

Fixit tipped his head. "My download speed is—"

"And what if the situation is faster?" Red X interrupted. "What good can you possibly do if—"

"Hey!" Beast Boy interrupted. "Fixit's been on the good side for a long time. What gives you the right to—"

Raven held a hand out to silence Beast Boy. "Let it play out," she said quietly.

Fixit didn't respond right away. After a few seconds, he spoke. "I understand your hesitation, Red X. These… questions and adjustments have taken much data processing to sort through."

"Data," Red X said, shaking his head. "You make decisions in calculations only. You do not _think_. You are not human."

"I was once," Fixit said. He led the group to a tarp-covered table. "It will take many years for me to find my truest form. But, with the help of my creation, I hope to rediscover what it is to be… human."

"You built a machine to teach you how to be human?" Red X asked skeptically.

"X," Jinx said quietly. She stood beside the thief. "Just give him a chance."

Red X sighed and took a small step back.

Fixit nodded at Jinx respectably before speaking. "Much of what you have said is true, Red X. I do not yet have the ability to act without calculation. However, for some time I have been searching for a way to change this."

Fixit placed a hand on the tarp covering his newest creation.

The Titans gathered and Red X around the table.

Fixit pulled off the tarp, revealing an inactive cybernetic being that looked much like himself. The only difference was that of the silver cloak, black zipper, and straps which contrasted with Fixit's own black cloak, silver zipper, and straps.

"I call him 'XY'," Fixit explained.

"Can it do everything you can do?" Jinx asked, gazing at Fixit's lookalike.

"I created him as my equal in order to achieve maximum learning efficiency," Fixit said. "However, it's powers of calculation only exceed my own in one respect."

"Humans," Red X said.

Fixit nodded. "I created XY to help me study, understand, and eventually, become more human. His one and only priority is the study and understanding of humans."

"How?" Raven asked.

"I have transferred much of my memories into XY's processor," Fixit explained. "Though he looks immobile, he has been studying this data since I began construction."

"He's you?" Jinx asked.

"He…" Fixit hesitated. "I do not have the answer to that question, Jinx. He has my memories and abilities. However, he is of a different form."

"You call him 'he'," Red X said. "What does that make _you_?"

"I am Fixit," Fixit replied.

"Can we please move on?" Beast Boy groaned. "I'm starting to get a headache with all this science talk."

"It's not just science, Beast Boy," Jinx teased.

"So when are you going to activate it?" Raven asked.

"I was about to do so prior to Overload's attack," Fixit answered. "Now that there are no immediate threats, I believe—"

Suddenly, XY sat up as Beast Boy poked the side of the cybernetic being's head.

"I didn't do it!" Beast Boy said frantically as he jumped back.

"We can't take you anywhere," Raven groaned with a shake of her head.

"Beast Boy is correct," Fixit said curiously, turning to XY as his clone's eyes lit up red and began looking around. "XY seems to have initiated startup himself."

"That doesn't inspire comfort," Red X commented.

There was a series of clanging from beyond the lab.

Jinx walked to the doorway and peered down the hall. Raven stood beside Fixit and Red X as Beast Boy turned into a moth, using his superior hearing to observe beyond the confines of the room.

"Why have you activated?" Fixit asked XY.

"I have concluded my processing of data," XY said in a voice that sounded just like Fixit's. "I believe that your ability to understand what it is to be human is incomplete due to your limited interaction with humans themselves."

"So, it is true," Fixit said, stepping forward as the clanging outside the room grew louder. "Joining the Titans is the most efficient way of learning what it is to be human."

"You are incorrect," XY said.

"Fixit!" Jinx called. "Can you deactivate your… friends, please."

"She's right," Beast Boy said, returning to his human form. "I don't speak robot, but that clanging does not sound like 'happy' clanging."

"How am I incorrect?" Fixit asked XY.

Red X and Raven crossed in front of one another with Raven joining Jinx and Red X joining Beast Boy as the ceiling began to shake and dirt started to fall.

"I have concluded that, due to the current crisis the world faces, Thief Red X is correct," XY answered, his eyes continuing to flash bright red. "In order to save as much sentient life as possible, you must learn to… think. You must learn to understand what drives a human."

"And how can I do this?" Fixit asked.

"Incentive is needed," XY answered. "Incentive shall be provided."

"What 'incentive'?" Raven asked.

"Us," Red X said.

The tunnel lit up red as many of Fixit's creations ran into view. Above, more robots dug through the ceiling and started to fall upon them.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted, turning away from the doorway and creating a shield overhead, stopping some of the falling Robots.

Jinx ran forward and waved her arms, sending pink energy into the robots coming through the door and causing their screws to fly out of their bodies and into other robots, creating small explosions.

Red X quickly grabbed Beast Boy and tugged him aside as the robots Jinx missed dove at them through the doorway. Beast Boy looked at Red X in surprise before turning into a bear and chopping away at the incoming robots.

"Fixit, anytime you want to shut these things down…" Jinx called as she flicked her wrist, causing another robot to explode.

"I am unable to do so," Fixit said, still standing in the middle of the lab across from XY. "It seems my ability to control them as been overridden."

"Perfect," Red X grunted as he used his adhesive to create a Xenothium slingshot and threw a few X-Shurikens into it.

Beast Boy turned into a crocodile, grabbed the Xenothium in his jaws, and pulled back. He released the Xenothium. The X-Shurikens flew from the adhesive and impaled themselves in several robots, causing an explosion that temporarily slowed the endless onslaught of machines.  
Fixit turned to XY, his eyes flashing.

Fixit's attempts to shut XY down were countered as the other cybernetic being's eyes lit up again.

"Manual electronic shutdown is futile," XY said.

Fixit surged forward, unleashing a palm strike, an elbow, and a fist. Each were perfectly countered by XY. Fixit threw one more punch. XY caught the hand and unleashed a punch of his own. Fixit caught the punch and found himself in a test of strength as they both tried to push forward. After a few seconds, both beings released their grips.

"I have processed all your combat simulations and experiences," XY said. "We are equally matched and therefore cannot defeat one another. We are the constants. Your human companions are the variables."

"The 'variables' can use a little help here!" Beast Boy interjected, turning into a rhino and charging into a large robot.

"My army is sufficient to defeat the Titans," XY said. "There is only one logical outcome."

Fixit took a moment to process.

The Titans and Red X backed into the center of the room, forming a circle.

"There weren't this many of these things when we were coming in!" Jinx said as the robots started to crowd around them.

"We need to surrender," Red X said calmly.

"What?" Beast Boy said.

"Fixit?" Raven asked, forming a shield around them. The robots charged into the energy and the shield began to crack. Raven exerted a little more power. "Where are these things coming from?"

"The wisest of the Titans is correct," XY said, holding his hands behind his back. "These creations have been repurposed. You wish to increase the trade of information with humans, Fixit. Because of this, I urge you to explain the situation to them instead of myself."

"These creations were observing and guarding the nearest portals," Fixit said as Raven's shield continued to crack. "With each creation that arrives here, the risk to the city and the world increases."

Beast Boy looked around as the robots crawled on top of one-another and started to press down on the shield form above. "And I thought _we_ were in trouble."

"You are putting sentients at risk," Fixit said to XY. "You are going against your purpose."

"My purpose is to assist you in the understanding of what it is to be human," XY said. "The guarding of portals is irrelevant to that purpose."

Fixit looked around as Raven's shield shattered. The robots slowly moved forward as the Titans readied themselves. Beast Boy turned into a gorilla, Raven's hands glowed back, Jinx's fingertips flared with pink energy, and Red X extended his Xenothium wrist-blades.

"My calculations are complete," Fixit finally said. "Red X is correct. Surrender is the best option."

XY's eyes flashed and the robot's ceased their movement. "You have shown that you are ready to consider the Titans as possible companions, or you would not have surrendered to save them. They shall serve our purposes well. Phase One is complete. Please accompany me to Titans Tower where we will begin Phase Two."

"There is no way we're letting you into our Tower!" Beast Boy said.

"Outer security protocols have already been deactivated," XY informed them.

Jinx looked at Red X.

Red X retracted his wrist-blades.

Fixit slowly moved to the Titans. "If we are to resume optimum defense for Earth, we should move with haste."

"Titan Raven can provide adequate transportation to Titans Tower," XY said. He looked at Raven. "If you would be so kind. Please remember that these creations have a self-destruct feature should you attempt to deviate from the optimum course."

Raven hesitated before slowly raising her hand. Seconds later, a raven made of magic enveloped them.

They arrived in the living room of Titans Tower moments later.

"Come," XY said, leading them to the elevator and underground.

None of the Titans, Red X, or Fixit attempted to resist. All were wary of the potential consequences of losing security over any number of portals.

"Where are we going?" Jinx asked.

"I am taking you to a safe and secure containment room," XY said.

Raven stopped.

Fixit turned to her. "Have you deduced our destination?"

Raven slowly nodded.

Beast Boy moved to stand beside Raven, giving her a supportive smile.

They came to a stop in front of a large door.

XY moved to hack into the door's hand scanner.

"Allow me," Red X grunted. He moved forward and placed his palm on the scanner. "Everyone in."

The Titans and Fixit hesitated momentarily before following Red X.

The room they found themselves in was large and square. The walls and ceiling were covered with glowing blue panels. On the floor in the center of the room was a white circle with a blue rim.

"There have been many security adjustments made to this room," Fixit observed, scanning his surroundings.

"Yeah…" Jinx said, looking around. "What exactly were you guys trying to keep in here?"

"Me," Raven answered.

Jinx turned, raised an eyebrow, and pointed to a broken 'S' shaped symbol on the wall. "What's that mean?"

"It's a long story," Beast Boy said.

"Why are we here?" Raven asked XY.

"You are here to assist in Phase Two," XY answered, turning to Fixit.

"What is Phase Two?" Fixit asked.

"Phase Two is 'human input'," XY answered. He stepped forward and motioned to everyone in the room. "Through research, I have surmised that there are three primary aspects of human development."

"Great…" Beast Boy said. "More science stuff."

"The three primary aspects are the mastery of the body, the mastery of the mind, and the existence of the soul," XY explained, still looking at Fixit. "It is apparent that you have maximized your current form's physical abilities. And your mind, like mine, is capable of processing power greater than that of most supercomputers."

"Yet, I still fail to understand what it is to be human," Fixit said.

XY tipped his head. "Even I cannot comprehend what is preventing your understanding of 'the human soul'."

"That's why we're here," Raven said, motioning to the Titans and Red X.

"Precisely," XY said. He turned to the rest of the group. "I have subdued and brought you here to act as references to aid Fixit in his efforts to become more human."

"How?" asked Jinx.

"I cannot tell you," XY said. "I do not know the answer myself."

"And what happens after Phase Two is complete?" Red X asked.

XY's eyes flashed and the second Communicator flew from Beast Boy's belt into XY's hand.

"I will leave you to talk with your references in private and be waiting in the living room of this Tower," XY said to Fixit. "Simply ask Titan Raven to send you to the front doors when you are ready. If you reach me and retrieve this Communicator, it will mean that I have achieved my purpose."

"And then you'll shut down?" Beast Boy asked. "Sounds kinda simple.

"Fixit and I are equals," XY explained. "Therefore, he must gain information from interactions with you, his references, that I do not possess in order to achieve his goal."

Jinx nodded, folding her arms.

"After this, Fixit will have a better understanding of what it is like to be human," XY promised. "And his creations will return to their posts."

"Then we'd better get started," Red X said, walking to the end of the room and leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"This room will be locked down from the outside," XY said. "Magic and technology will be ineffective after Titan Raven transports Fixit to the Tower's entrance. Once Fixit completes his task, he will retrieve you."

XY departed as the door slid shut behind him.

The room was silent for a moment before Red X finally spoke, addressing Fixit. "I'm assuming you have your questions ready by now."

"There is only one question that I feel can provide the answer I require," Fixit said, turning to the Titans. "What does it mean… to be human?"

"Instinctual improvisation," Red X answered immediately. "The ability to act on instinct and impulse rather than spend time calculating. Any one action made on impulse can decide the outcome of a heist or battle."

"What is it with you and heists all the time?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's what I do," Red X said, looking away.

Beast Boy sighed and sat against the wall comfortably with his fingers intertwined behind his head. "You know, I think the best part about being human is the small stuff. Playing Gamestation4. Eating tofu, vegies, and waffles. Hanging out. That's what I like to do whenever I'm not stoppin' evil."

"I haven't been on _this_ specific team for that long," Jinx said, standing in front of the door now.

Fixit turned to her.

"But if there's anything I've learned since joining up with these guys, it's that choice is everything," Jinx continued. "No matter how hard the choice is, it's gotta be made for better or worse. Morals, empathy… pretty much everything gets taken into account."

Fixit took all the advice and started processing the information. After a few seconds, he turned to Raven. "Do you have any extra input, Raven?" he asked.

Raven slowly turned, tracing her finger on the broken 'S' symbol on the wall.

Fixit now recognized the symbol from the Titan Archives as 'The Mark of Skath". A symbol regarding a prophesy involving the very Titan he was currently looking to for help.

After a few seconds, Raven softly touched the gemstone on her head before turning to Fixit. "Calmness and security," she said. "Knowing who you are and having a sense of identity is what it is to be sentient."

The room fell silent again.

Fixit looked around. "This data is… useful," he said. "It will aid me in completing XY's task."

"I hope so," Beast Boy said, somewhat nervously. "I just realized that I have to pee."

Fixit looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath before looking at Red X and the Titans. "Send me."

"Good luck," Jinx said to Fixit.

"You got this," Beast Boy said.

"He'd better," Red X grunted.

"See you soon," Raven said, raising her hands as they started to glow.

…

Red X glanced at his Communicator for a moment before sitting down against the wall as Beast Boy stood.

Raven finished sending Fixit away. After a few seconds, she levitated to the center of the room, crossed her legs, and began to meditate, chanting softly.

"You seem really calm," Jinx said to Red X, sitting next to him.

"Would you rather me pace incessantly like Beast Boy?" Red X replied.

Beast Boy stopped and folded his arms before sitting down next to Jinx.

Red X extended and retracted his wrist-blades lazily.

"You _do_ seem really calm," Beast Boy said, watching the motion with his eyes.

"Yeah," Jinx said to Red X. "I would think you wouldn't be a fan of rooms like these."

"I'm no prisoner," Red X promised.

…

Fixit materialized in front of Titans Tower. _XY will be in the living room of Titans Tower. It has one entrance and one exit._

Fixit walked to the front door and scanned it, finding that all the Tower's defenses had been reactivated. _Hacking the door will be simple._ _However, I will not be able to traverse Titans Tower on my own and make it to XY without assistance. The Titans and Red X are currently unavailable to lend such assistance. I must find assistance from… an outside source._

Fixit slowly turned and looked at the portals above. He did a few calculations. _Roughly forty percent of my creations are under XY's control. I will need thirty percent more to reach XY quickly. But that would leave many portals unprotected and the probability of threat efficiency would increase._

Fixit's eyes flashed and he recalled audio recordings of his conversations inside the safe-room.

 _"But if there's anything I've learned since joining up with these guys, it's that choice is everything," Jinx said. "No matter how hard the choice is, it's gotta be made for better or worse. Morals, empathy… pretty much everything gets taken into account."_

Fixit looked at the sky. _Without the Titans and Red X, this city will be in greater danger should threats from within increase. There is also no predicting what will come out of unprotected portals._

Fixit turned back to the Tower. _I will do what must be done._

Fixit's eyes flashed again.

…

XY stared down at the motionless form of Fixit.

Minutes later, the lights shut off.

XY turned away from the window.

The central monitor lit up.

Outer Defense System: Deactivated

XY moved to the computer and pressed a few buttons, bringing up security footage of the tower. _The Titans and Red X are still in their cell. Interesting._

Suddenly, the halls were filled with Fixit's robots.

XY's red eyes flashed. He took a step back in confusion. _These robots are not under my control. They were guarding other portals around the city._

XY's eyes flashed again and the robots in the living room and the rest of Titans Tower moved to confront the growing internal threat.

XY examined the cameras again before realizing his mistake. _Fixit is not present on any security footage. I will calculate alternative routes into the Tower."_

…

Fixit, seemingly hovering outside the living room window on the other side of the central monitor, made quick calculations as XY started examining the security footage.

Fixit looked around the living room. _I must generate a distraction XY cannot predict in order to infiltrate the Tower._

Fixit quickly consulted the recordings of his conversation with the Titans until he found a key piece.

 _Beast Boy sighed and sat against the wall comfortably with his fingers intertwined behind his head. "You know, I think the best part about being human is the small stuff. Playing Gamestation4. Eating tofu, vegies, and waffles. Hanging out. That's what I like to do whenever I'm not stopping' evil."_

Fixit held his chin for a moment. _Hmm. I do not believe that this is exactly what Beast Boy meant. But further research can be conducted at another time._

Fixit slowly moved to the other side of the window, looking not to XY, but to the Gamestation4 attached to the central monitor. Fixit's eyes flashed and the machine came to life. Fixit stared at the device for a moment before returning his gaze to XY.

As XY looked up, Fixit struck the outside of the window with his palm. The window shattered.

Fixit slowly stepped down from his perch. "I am ready," he said.

XY said nothing.

Fixit turned back to his creations, allowing XY to see that they had stacked themselves on top of one another in order to help him reach the Tower.

"A direct assault is highly illogical," XY said, looking at Fixit curiously as he stepped back to the center of the living room. "Within seconds you will be overwhelmed. And allowing your own creations to engage with mine will only buy you extra minutes at most."

Fixit's eyes flashed yet again. The creations he had summoned unbound themselves and took off through the water to return to the portals. Fixit did not say a word as he moved to meet XY in the center of the living room.

"Your chances of success have reduced to less than five percent," XY informed Fixit.

XY's eyes flashed red, attempting to summon robots.

There was no response or sound outside of the room.

XY's eyes flashed again.

Still, nothing happened.

…

Red X looked up and rose to his feet.

"Did it just get quieter?" Raven asked, ceasing her meditations.

Beast Boy placed his ear against the door. "I don't hear anything."

"Is that good or bad?" Jinx asked.

"Five minutes," Red X said aloud.

"What?" the Titans asked.

…

Fixit looked at a confused XY, offering no explanation as to why there was a lack of robotic reinforcements.

XY finally looked behind Fixit and at the glowing Gamestation4.

Fixit's eyes narrowed, gazing at the Communicator strapped to XY's belt.

"It seems you have used this gaming device to interrupt my signal to the robots residing within Titans Tower," XY said. "This is… unexpected."

Fixit lunged forward and attempted to grab the Communicator. XY reacted just in time, gracefully spinning aside and throwing a punch in Fixit's direction. Fixit skillfully caught the punch and kicked out.

The kick hit it's mark and XY found himself moving back a few steps. Fixit let loose a series of punches and kicks at random, hoping to prevent XY's ability to analyze his fight pattern. Every punch and kick was expertly blocked and countered with no harm to either being.

Fixit made another lunge for the Communicator with his left hand. XY grabbed his wrist and held it inches from Fixit's goal. Fixit threw another punch with his right and found the arm equally held at bay just over XY's shoulder.

The two beings struggled against each other.

Suddenly XY's eyes flashed again. "While we have been engaging in hand-to-hand combat," he said as they continued their struggle for control. "I have rerouted my hack and blocked the signal from the gaming device. Control of the robots inside Titans Tower is once again mine."

Fixit looked over XY's shoulder and saw the red lights of the robots getting closer and closer to the doorway to the living room.

"With our combat abilities at equal strength," XY continued. "It is safe to assume that I can—"

Fixit didn't hesitate. He didn't calculate. He just reacted, ejecting the hand being held over XY's shoulder into the control panel hidden in the wall next to the doorway. The door shorted out and slammed shut just before the robots could enter the room.

XY looked back at the door and Fixit acted again, spinning out of XY's grip and lashing out with his right foot, sending XY off his feet. Fixit moved forward and ejected his other hand.

XY didn't have time to react before the hand reached his waist, tearing the Communicator from him.

Fixit's eyes flashed and both hands floated back and reattached themselves to his arms.

XY looked at the Communicator that was now in Fixit's grasp.

Fixit took a step back. "Is my task complete?" he asked.

XY slowly stood. "I do not understand. Why did I not predict your strategy?"

Fixit slowly walked forward, placed his hand on XY's forehead, and initiated a playback of yet another recording for both himself and XY to hear.

 _"Instinctual improvisation," Red X said. "The ability to act on instinct and impulse rather than spend time calculating. Any one action made on impulse can decide the outcome of a heist or battle."_

Fixit stepped back again, releasing his contact with XY.

XY slowly nodded. "So, there were no calculations. You simply acted. That is a reckless decision but also… an inherently sentient trait."

"Is my task complete?" Fixit repeated firmly as robots started banging on the door.

XY raised a hand and his eyes flashed. The banging stopped. "Your task is complete," he said.

Fixit nodded and his eyes flashed as well. The door repaired itself and opened as his creations began to spill into the living room and started to make their way out the window to return to their respective posts at the portals that continued to litter the night sky.

Fixit and XY stood side-by-side, watching as hundreds of creations passed them by.

XY turned to Fixit, speaking calmly. "I have but one question you must answer correctly before I have fulfilled my purpose."

"Please," Fixit said politely, urging XY to speak.

"Why do you feel you now require what you once considered a biological imperfection?" XY asked.

Fixit reviewed one last recording.

 _"Calmness and security," Raven said. "Knowing who you are and having a sense of identity is what it is to be sentient."_

Fixit thought for a moment before answering. "Achieving an understanding of self is the pinnacle of development in all creatures. Humans achieve this not with instinct, but choice. It is why they have developed as a species. It is an achievement that I hope to discover for myself."

XY slowly nodded. "Well done, Fixit," he said.

XY shut down, his eyes growing dim as he went still. The last of Fixit's creations disappeared beyond the island containing Titans Tower, leaving Fixit alone in the living room of his new home.

…

Red X walked up to the door.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked.

"Five…" Red X said under his breath. "Four… Three… Two… and—"

The door slid open as Fixit turned the corner down the hall.

"Looks like you succeeded," Jinx said as the cybernetic being reached them.

Fixit held up the Titans Communicator.

Raven nodded with respect.

"Thanks for opening the door," Beast Boy said quickly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "It's getting kinda urgent now."

" _I_ did not open the door," Fixit said with a confused look.

Beast Boy stopped bouncing for a moment. "Then who…"

Everyone slowly turned and looked at Red X as Jinx and Raven folded their arms.

Red X leaned up against the doorway. "I told you," he grunted. "I'm no prisoner."

Fixit examined the door's control panel. "A timed containment protocol," he said after a moment. "That is why you opened the door before XY."

"Why did I do that?" Red X asked.

Fixit knew it was a test. "I would speculate that, after joining forces with the Titans, you gained limited access to the Tower's security system," he said. "At that point in time, you realized that this room could potentially be used to keep you prisoner."

Red X slowly nodded.

Fixit looked at the scanner again before finishing. "You programed the door to reopen after a set amount of time, thus increasing the ability to escape or get out in the case of an emergency."

"What?" Beast Boy exclaimed, looking at Red X. "You mean you knew we were going to get out of here eventually? Dude, why didn't you just— oh, never mind! I'm going to the bathroom!"

Beast Boy turned into a dog, whimpering as he ran down the hallway and into a nearby bathroom.

A few seconds later, the Titans and Red X heard a sigh of relief from down the hall.

"Bathroom breaks are a part of being human that I do not require," Fixit said, breaking the awkward silence.

Jinx chuckled.

Red X held out his hand for the Communicator. Fixit hesitated before handing over the device as Beast Boy finally returned from the bathroom.

"Out of curiosity," Jinx said to Red X. "If you could have set the door to let you out at any time, why wait?"

"I was bored and needed entertainment."

"I doubt that," Beast Boy said as Raven nodded in agreement. "You like sitting still about as much as Robin did. So why didn't you tell us that we only had to wait?"

Red X sighed in annoyance. "You want Fixit on your team, that's fine. But if we're going to let a machine join you, even if he wants to be more human," he allowed, glancing at Fixit. "I didn't want to risk the fate of the world on a 'calculated response'. Lives are not variables in an equation and shouldn't be sorted into percentages."

"The world, huh?" Jinx prodded.

"Yeah right," Beast Boy muttered.

Red X glanced at Jinx.

"While I appreciate your willingness to let my education run its course," Fixit said. "I too share the other Titans skepticism of your supposed concern for the world. All archived data suggests that you would never do anything heroic without getting something in return."

"Finally," Red X said in mock relief. "Somebody who actually gets me."

"Oh, we get you," Raven said smugly.

"Xenothium for heroics," Beast Boy grunted.

Jinx stepped forward. "Well, at least we don't have to give _you_ anything in return for being a hero," she said, turning to Fixit. "Except maybe our thanks and a better place to live. So, what do you say about being a Teen Titan?"

"It's yours if you want it," Raven said.

"And it's gotta be better than living in a junkyard," Beast Boy offered.

Fixit was silent for a moment before turning to Red X. "Red X, as you have been the most opposed to my joining the Titans, I would greatly appreciate both your input and, if you deem it wise, your permission to join this team."

Red X glanced around and noticed all the Titans looking at him, awaiting an answer.

Red X let out a breath and looked at Fixit, asking one question. "What does it mean to be human."

"It means the having the ability to appreciate life outside of calculation," Fixit answered almost immediately. "And to understand that action is reflected by choice and the ability to see the world as a living entity rather than a series of constants and variables."

Red X nodded. "Still a bit to technical for my taste," he said. He flipped open the Communicator and touched the screen a few times before offering the device to Fixit. "But it will have to do."

Red X offered Fixit the Communicator.

Fixit accepted the device with a nod, finally placing it on his hip.

"Keep that thing close," Red X said, pointing to the device. "I set it to connect only to the Titans in Jump City. Any wider and it poses a security risk."

Fixit looked at the device now residing on his own hip, his eyes flashing only slightly. "That is… wise."

"Well, what are we still doing here?" Beast Boy asked. He walked forward, placing an arm around Fixit's shoulder. "Let's show you to your room."

Red X waited a few seconds before walking down the hall and turning the corner that led to the living room.

…

Jinx watched the boys leave and looked at Raven, who was staring after them as well.

"Looks like we're starting to get a team," Jinx commented.

"Looks like," Raven said quietly.

"You're not sure?" Jinx asked.

"I'm not sure about a lot of things," Raven replied as they started walking down the hall. "But I know that you guys will try and make it work."

Jinx nodded. "I'd like that."

…

Fixit walked into Cyborg's room. After examining the charging station, computer, and table, he turned. "These quarters are… adequate."

"That's it?" Beast Boy said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

"I also admire the multifunctional use of this space," Fixit added.

"That's good…" Beast Boy said, walking away. "I guess."

Fixit looked down to see a small larva chewing on his robe.

The small animal smiled and let out a soft coo.

"You must be the 'Silkie', Starfire spoke of so lovingly," Fixit said, pulling his cloak from Silkie's mouth. The larva looked up with sadness.

Fixit slowly picked Silkie up. "I shall accept your companionship with the condition that you please refrain from chewing on my robes or spare power cells."

Fixit exited his room, walked into the living room, placed Silkie on a nearby cabinet, and walked up to Red X who was looking out the shattered window, his cape billowing in the wind.

"What is it you require of me?" Fixit asked, standing a few feet behind Red X as the sun dawned.

Red X turned in surprise. "Why ask me?"

"Your aptitude and abilities suggest you are the most logical candidate for the eventual leader of this team," Fixit said. "Therefore, until a team leader is selected, I will look to you for strategic advice."

"I'm not on this team," Red X said, turning away from the window. "And it doesn't have a leader."

"I understand," Fixit said, taking a step back. "But my inquiry has not changed."

Red X took a deep breath, looking at Beast Boy and Jinx who'd moved to join Raven at the computer on the side of the room.

Fixit waited patiently.

Red X looked at Fixit, finally offering an answer. "I was looking through the Titan's training equipment this morning," he said as he walked toward the other three Titans. "With your processing ability, you should formulate a new training regimen. A regimen that increases efficiency both for the individual and the entirety of their team."

"Shall I record these sessions for future playback?" Fixit asked.

"Use your best judgement," Red X said lazily. After a moment, he stopped walking, lowering his voice. "Hypothetically, if I were to ask you to locate a nanoscopic chip on my mask, could you find it?"

"Yes," Fixit said. He lowered his voice as well. "However, that would conflict with orders from Robin to keep you under consistent surveillance."

"Of course it would," Red X said with a shake of his head.

…

Jinx and Raven continued going through old files, attempting to find a potential candidate for the final spot on the new team. Beast Boy stood behind them, looking over their shoulders. They glanced up as Red X and Fixit joined them at the computer before returning to their task.

"What about Wonder Girl?" Jinx asked.

"She already went through one of the portals," Raven answered.

"This one would be good," Jinx said, stopping at a particular file. "I mean, I only met her once, but—"

"That's not an option," Raven said quietly.

Beast Boy looked away, his shoulders sinking.

"So, her… condition has not been reversed," Fixit said thoughtfully. "It is a shame that one who had such power has never been allowed to reach her potential."

"She would be too dangerous," Red X argued.

Jinx shrugged. "Well, hypothetically I mean, she wouldn't be dangerous if she were with us and we were around to help," she said, turning. "What do you think, BB?"

They all turned to find Beast Boy walking through the door and out of sight.

"It seems Beast Boy had feelings for this candidate," Fixit said.

"You could say that," Red X commented, reaching forward and moving on to the next file.

Raven was still staring after Beast Boy.

"Sorry," Jinx said to her, looking down. "I didn't mean to—"

"It's not your fault," Raven assured her. "She's… a touchy subject for all of us."

…

Beast Boy stood inside an unused room of Titans Tower. The dotted ceiling overhead resembled stars. In one hand, he held a silver, butterfly-shaped comb. In the other, he held a silver case in the shape of a heart.

Beast Boy looked down as his eyes started to water. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Raven standing behind him, smiling sadly.

"I wish things were different too," Raven said kindly.

…

Slade looked at his computer, viewing the inside of Titans Tower through the Communicator he'd given Red X.

After a few seconds, Slade hit a button and the feed changed, revealing the Principal's Office inside Murakami High School. An old man with grey hair sat at the chair, staring into his computer.

"I want an update," Slade said calmly. "Has the candidate exhibited any abilities since the Markovian asset visited Jump City?"

"None that I have seen, sir," the old man answered. "However, her behavior has changed somewhat. She is talking about recurring dreams, but she has not, recently I shall say, described any as memories regarding the Titans. I will be discussing the matter with her at the end of the week."

"Very good," Slade said. "If anything changes, inform me immediately."

"Understood."

Slade turned off his computer, leaving only his eye gleaming in the darkness.


	8. Next Week on Ep:5 of Teen Titans Dawn

**Next Week on Teen Titans Dawn…**

"Terra?" Beast Boy asked cautiously.

Terra looked once more at the rock that had sprouted out of the ground and then at her hands. "Woah…"

…

Terra slowly looked at Beast Boy. "Who am I?" she asked quietly.

"You're Terra," Beast Boy answered.

"Not the one you knew," Terra argued. She ran a hand through her hair. "I mean, this morning, I was just a schoolgirl."

"Not anymore," Red X said.

…

Raven stepped forward and spoke directly to Terra. "Your powers are more than mere tricks with earth," she said. "They, and through them, _you_ , can be the world's most powerful protector, or its most dangerous destroyer."

…

 _Terra looked around as Beast Boy's silhouette appeared beside Cyborg. The Titans, her former friends, now surrounded her on all sides. But they were no longer her friends. She had betrayed them. And now, she was the enemy, frozen in shock as Beast Boy's menacing growls continued to echo in her ears despite his return to human form._

…

"If you want to control your powers, you need to control yourself and your emotions," Raven said.

"How?" Terra asked. "How can I control them?"

"You start by understanding them," Raven said. "Are you ready?"

"Probably not," Terra answered.

…

Terra took a breath, slowly walked onto the platform, and sighed, allowing it to guide her shakily across the water and to the distant city.

…

Terra moved out from under the cover of the bleachers and stopped as people continued to flee past her. _Just get out of here, Terra._ Terra looked at her hands for a moment before letting out a breath and turning toward the danger, dropping her backpack to the ground.

…

"Hey, dirtbag!"

The red-armored giant turned to see Terra step forward onto the center of the field.

…


	9. Titan Recap: Metamorphosis

Hi, there! It's me! Nosyarg Kcid! But you can call me 'Larry' for short!

As I'm sure you know, I am Robin's biggest fan and he is the best superhero ever! But just because I've read every article about him, watched and re-watched all his Titan exploits, written FanFiction involving everything in his personal life, and even visited him while he was sleeping, that doesn't mean that I don't pay attention to the other heroes that protect this and other dimensions!

Right now, at this very second, I'm hard at work helping Robin…

Helping… Robin… zzz…

zzz…

zzz…

I'm awake!

Anyway, right now, I'm hard at work helping Robin, the Titans, and the League chronicle all known interdimensional data!

And I just finished researching one of my other favorite Titan Origin Stories and I figured 'why can't everybody know about this?' I mean, every other Jump City Titan there's been has an origin!

Not that I can guarantee this is the full story! I generally stick to the best hero ever; Robin! So I haven't done a _lot_ of research.

So, without further ado! I present to Yooooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu:

 **The Origins of Terra!**

(presented by Nosyarg Kcid or 'Larry'. "Issue 51: Metamorphosis" of the Teen Titans Go!" comic is available for full viewing online.

Please see bottom of Newbie52 FanFiction Profile page for links as I cannot place them within this chapter P.S. apologies for the delay of not realizing this. P.P.S. I can't control the Ad content even though I think we all wish we could.)

Okay! Where to begin… Where to begin… Ah, Here we go!

So it all started a while after Beast Boy discovered that Terra was out of her stone coma thingy and that she was now just a high school girl with no idea who she is… or was. Eventually, Titans Tower was attacked by a _really_ mean rock monster that had earth powers like Terra!

The Titans of course beat the mean monster and it turned out to be another teenager like them! Raven, just like me, respects people's privacy and did just a taaad bit of probing into the teen's mind. It turned out that he was none other than Terra's brother!

The Titans were nice, and they didn't take Geo-Force to jail. They did, however, keep him safe in Titans Tower where Raven was able to do a little extra digging and they found out that Terra was far more than they ever knew. And even though Geo-Force kept some memories buried beyond Raven's initial reach, she did find out a few things!

Terra was a princess! A princess to the throne of Markovia to be exact! As a child, Terra and her brother Geo-Force were raised in a castle!

At that point, Geo-Force woke up and the Titans told him about all of their cool adventures with Terra. After Geo-Force calmed down, he told them all about when _he_ and Terra were kids.

Okay… um… ah, here we go.

The Geo-Force records.

So, Terra and Geo-Force were given powers naturally through genetic stuff that I would never understand and that made them superheroes! But, like Slade in Jump City, there were mean people in Markovia too.

Terra and her brother were experimented on by a Scientist and really, really, _old_ and mean military guy who lied to the King and Queen, saying that he was just trying to make Terra and her brother better protectors.

And while Geo-Force was older and able to fight back, Terra wasn't as skilled and couldn't always control her powers, kinda like when my magic finger was broken. So, she eventually ran away and that's when she met the Teen Titans!

Back in Markovia, Geo-Force spent a long time cleaning up his kingdom, and while he was not yet finished, he thought it was time for a little family reunion. He asked the Titans where Terra was, and Beast Boy brought him to the high school.

Geo-Force saw Terra and thought she looked happy.

Beast Boy talked about how the beautiful and wise Starfire described Terra as a caterpillar going through metamorphosis. When Terra joined the Titans, she was a caterpillar. Then she stopped Slade and became a cocoon before finally completing her metamorphosis and transforming into the girl she now wanted to be as a beautiful butterfly!

I think that's so sweet.

Anyway, Geo-Force decided to leave Terra behind and to let her be happy.

As Geo-Force and Beast Boy flew away, Terra saw her brother and smiled.

Maybe she _did_ remember him.

Or maybe it was a coincidence.

I don't know.

Okay! All Done!

Gotta go now!

Bye!


	10. Episode V: Terra

Inside Murakami High School, a schoolgirl sat outside the Principal's Office.

The schoolgirl was wearing the standard outfit required of the students attending; a white-collared dress shirt with a black tie which led to a blue skirt that ended at the knees. She also wore long white socks and black shoes.

The schoolgirl's long, blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders as she continued to draw on a piece of paper, her blue eyes following each line made she drew. A shadow crossed over her paper and the schoolgirl looked up to see a little girl with long black hair smiling at her.

The schoolgirl smiled awkwardly and held up a hand in greeting. The little girl smiled back. The door beside the schoolgirl opened and a woman with long black hair walked out followed by a young man whom the students tended to refer to as 'Goth Boy'.

Goth boy was dressed in his usual black shirt that featured a grey ghost. The young man's grey limbs were accompanied by black pants and shoes. There was also black eye-liner under one eye in the shape of eyebrows.

The little girl walked away to join whom the schoolgirl now assumed to be her brother and mother. The schoolgirl sighed and looked at her drawing. It depicted a yellow and black butterfly making its way out of an orange cocoon.

"I'm ready for you now," the Principal called from inside the office.

The schoolgirl placed the drawing inside her blue biology book and stood. Down the hall, she heard Goth Boy's mother lecturing the young man about his lack of adequate school-wear.

"The dress code is pointless," Goth Boy argued as they turned the corner, straightening his black shirt and pants as he flicked his black hair over right his right eye. "Everything's pointless."

The schoolgirl shook her head and walked into the office, hugging the book to her chest.

Principal Green sat at his desk. The old man had a withered, gaunt face. The top of his head was bald with grey trimmed hair still covering the back of his head. As always, he wore a white suit and tie that was neatly buttoned up the front.

"Ah, my child," Principal Green said as he stood, moving around his desk to greet the schoolgirl. "I trust you slept well for the exam that you took today?"

"Yeah," the schoolgirl said. "Sure. It's been pretty quiet by the orphanage. The nearest portal is ten miles away. So, no sirens."

"That is fortunate," Principal Green said.

The schoolgirl looked around the office before looking at Principal Green. "Am I in trouble, sir?"

"Of course not," Principal Green answered clasping his hands in front of him. "I always conduct check-ups such as these near the end of the school year."

"Well, everything's fine," the schoolgirl said, trying to recall the last time she'd participated in a 'check-up' like this. "Nothing to report."

"Any more of these… dreams?" Principal Green asked.

"Nothing really," the schoolgirl answered. She looked down. "There's a column of white light surrounded by blue electricity, I wake up in a cave, a nice old man in shadow brings me to the orphanage and… I come here."

"Well, these dreams could just be the suppressed memories of a child," Principal Green said simply. He leaned forward. "And what of the dreams you spoke of a few weeks ago in your essay for Mrs. Wolfram? The ones regarding the heroes that protect our city."

"Gone," the schoolgirl lied.

In fact, when the green Titan had showed her a case with a heart-shaped mirror, she'd started receiving small, almost incomprehensible flashes of what she could only describe as dreams or memories. Regardless of her attempts to disassociate herself from these flashes that had made no sense and the world of heroes in general, the dreams had returned every night since.

The schoolgirl sighed. "Even if I _was_ a Titan like the crazy green kid who just wanted me to date him said, I obviously don't have any powers."

"Good," Principal Green said. He sat back against the desk. "And how go your studies?"

"Oh," the schoolgirl said. She looked at the computer. "Well, all my grades are—"

"More than satisfactory," Principal Green confirmed. "Although, I have noticed a few… personal irregularities."

"Like?" the schoolgirl asked.

"I've noticed that over the last couple of weeks, you have not been interacting with your friends from the orphanage."

"Oh, yeah," the schoolgirl said, thinking of Amber, a redhead girl with freckles and Dionne, her dark-skinned friend with black hair. "It's just a misunderstanding."

"Would you elaborate?" Principal Green pressed.

"We keep failing our cleaning inspection at the orphanage," the schoolgirl explained, keeping her gaze low. "Every morning, a bunch of dirt ends up in my bed."

"Are you suggesting that your friends—"

"No," the schoolgirl said quickly. "No, I don't think its them. If it was them, they wouldn't be mad. All know is…"

"Yes?" Principal Green urged.

"In the middle of the night, I get cold," the schoolgirl said with a sigh, unsure of what else to say. She couldn't explain that the dirt seemingly appears out of nowhere as she sleeps. "It doesn't matter. We'll get over it."

Principal Green slowly nodded as the bell that ends the school day rang. "Thank you for your time. I shall see you in a couple of weeks for summer school."

The schoolgirl nodded and walked out of the Principals Office, ignoring the other students and making her way outside. After sighing and staring into the sunny sky for a moment, the schoolgirl sat down on the front steps to finish her drawing.

Just as she finished, there was a series of loud screams beyond the iron posts of the outer fence surrounding the school.

The schoolgirl stood as a large machine landed in front of her. The machine had a ruby-red glass center and multiple silver mechanical tentacles that made the entire machine resemble a human heart. The tentacles allowed it to move and suck large objects into its center.

"Kardiac," the schoolgirl said. She blinked several times. _How did I know that?_

Kardiac ignored the schoolgirl and turned in the direction of the little girl she'd seen outside the Principal's Office. The schoolgirl looked around and saw that there were multiple younger children around that came with their parents to pick up their high school siblings.

Kardiac slowly moved toward the little girl.

"Hey!" the schoolgirl shouted. She didn't think as she picked up a nearby rock and threw it at the mechanical being. "Leave her alone!"

Kardiac turned to the schoolgirl and raised a tentacle.

The schoolgirl gasped and braced herself as a green wolf appeared out of nowhere and jumped on Kardiac's red exterior, clawing at its surface. Kardiac swiped the wolf off and the canine landed between the schoolgirl and the large machine.

The wolf looked in the schoolgirl's direction for a second before turning back into Beast Boy. "Take it apart!" the Titan said. "Don't let it use its vacuum thingies!"

Kardiac raised a tactical and the schoolgirl felt the air pull past her from behind.

A pink-haired young woman dressed in black and purple flipped up and over the iron fence and waved her arms, sending pink waves of energy into the tentacle, which promptly detached itself from Kardiac's body and fell to the ground. The pink-haired young woman flicked her wrist and the metal fence surrounding the school broke apart.

The schoolgirl froze, unexpectedly transfixed by what she was seeing.

"Go!" the pink haired young woman shouted, waving a group of students over to the new exit in the fence. "Get out of here! Go!"

A second later, a masked and caped hero dressed in black landed next to Beast Boy.

"Fixit!" the caped hero called. "Use your probes! Jinx, give him some power!"

Kardiac moved to smash Beast Boy and the caped hero with a tentacle when an orb of black energy appeared around them. The orb took the blow without even getting a crack.

A young woman cloaked in blue floated down to stand on Beast Boy's other side as the shield disappeared. She looked briefly at Goth Boy, who was kneeling to the ground with his family.

The pink-haired hero, Jinx, shot a few rays of energy in the air. Another cloaked being, most likely Fixit, emerged on the other side of the fence, throwing several devices into the pink energy before raising his mechanical hands.

The devices made contact with the powers provided by Jinx and then floated down onto Kardiac's various tentacles. The tentacles sparked with pink energy before they began to fall apart.

Kardiac mechanically roared with anger before leveling its final tentacle at the little girl and her brother, Goth Boy.

The schoolgirl, without hesitating, ran toward the little girl.

The caped hero shot a red substance out of his arm as the schoolgirl slid to a stop a few feet from the little girl. The substance made contact with the tentacle and spread out, clogging the tube. He turned to the young woman with the blue cloak. "Magic, now!"

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted.

The broken poles of the iron fence levitated into the air and launched themselves at Kardiac, impaling its large form in multiple places. The mechanical monstrosity spasmed as its remaining limbs rose into the air.

Raven looked at Goth Boy and the two exchanged awkward smiles.

The schoolgirl looked around in confusion before the Kardiac finished its spasm and the tentacles started to drop heavily to the ground.

The schoolgirl, seeing that the little girl would be crushed, ran forward and bent over her, bracing herself for the final impact.

But the impact never came.

The schoolgirl's eyes flashed yellow, her hands began to glow, and she felt movement in the ground underneath her. The schoolgirl turned and saw everyone staring at her with a mixture of fear, awe, confusion, intrigue, apprehension, and, in Beast Boy's case, pride.

The schoolgirl turned and saw that the tentacle was being held above herself and the little girl by a large, brown piece of rock and earth that had seemingly sprouted out of the ground.

The schoolgirl looked at her hands as they ceased their glowing. She looked at the Titans and then at the rock. _I did that? So, it is true… I really was…_

"Terra?" Beast Boy asked cautiously.

Terra looked once more at the rock that had sprouted out of the ground and then at her hands. "Woah…"

…

 **There's new trouble. We know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **The old Titans, they can't stop it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **With all the evil on the attack,**

 **they won't rest until they got your back.**

 **The world will need more heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **Now a new team must come to the light…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Our world will surly perish if they don't unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **There's a path must be run.**

 **A path that leads straight to the dawn.**

 **'Cause without Titans, evil gains control…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **DAWN!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

"My name is Terra… and I have done horrible things."

– Terra. Season 2: Episode 13 "Aftershock pt. II."

…

 ** _"Terra"_**

Terra looked around as everyone remained silent.

Beast Boy finally stepped forward. "How long have you—"

"I don't know," Terra answered honestly with a hint of fear in her voice. _All those things I heard about… what I can do… what I did…_

The schoolgirl was broken out of her thoughts by police sirens blaring in the distance.

"We should get Kardiac ready for transport," the caped hero grunted. "Fixit, any suggestions?"

"I shall call upon my spare creations to aid in separating Kardiac's tentacles and prep them for individual transport," Fixit said, moving away. He nodded in Terra's direction. "Titan Terra."

"What?" Terra asked, fearing what the title meant.

"X," Jinx said, stepping forward. She glanced nervously between the incoming police and Terra. "They're gonna to want to take her in."

"They should," the caped hero grunted. "If her condition is the same as when you met her—"

"No way, Red X!" Beast Boy argued. "She's not going to jail."

"Where do you suggest we take her?" Red X asked. "She's—"

"What is happening to me?" Terra interrupted as she stood, drawing all eyes to her. She looked at her hands as Goth Boy and his family departed. Then she looked at the rock still sticking out of the ground. "I didn't believe I could actually do this. I don't want to hurt anybody. I don't want—"

"You're not going to jail," Beast Boy promised. He looked at Raven. "Right?"

Raven looked between Beast Boy and Red X, who had folded his arms and turned to Jinx.

Jinx shrugged. "I've been in jail," she said, placing herself between Red X and the Titans as Terra looked on. "That's not what she needs."

Raven looked at Terra.

Terra looked down, feeling as if the cloaked hero could see right through her. All her exhilaration. All her fears. All her guilt over the actions of a past life that she didn't really remember or understand.

"We'll take her to Titans Tower," Raven finally said. She looked at Red X. "And then we'll talk to the Mayor."

"Whatever," Red X said.

"What do I do now?" Terra asked. The ground beneath her began to tremble somewhat. "Did I really do all those things that—"

"All you've done right now is save a little girl," Jinx said comfortingly.

"But this is complicated," Raven added.

"Just come with us," Beast Boy said, slowly walking forward. He offered a hand. "Come with me."

Terra hesitated, taking a small step back.

"Do you trust me?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra froze as a memory emerged. A memory of herself, dressed in yellow and black. She was standing outside a window on a floating platform made of rock. Her hand was extended in Beast Boy's direction as she asked him one question. _"Do you trust me?"_

And he did.

Terra sighed. _If he could trust me, I can trust him… for now._

Terra nodded.

An hour later, Terra found herself in the living room of Titans Tower, staring out the window and gazing at the city, all the while contemplating where her life was going to take her. _Was I really worried about a biology test this morning?_ She slowly placed the book containing her drawing on the couch.

"Sir!" Beast Boy said loudly. Terra turned as the green Titan starting walking back and forth, speaking to the Mayor on his Titans Communicator. "Sir, I understand. But she's not— Okay, answer me this, you were willing to let one criminal on the team and he's not a hero. So, what is so wrong with—"

At this point, Raven, who still had her hood drawn over her head, walked forward and grabbed the Communicator from Beast Boy's hand. She started speaking calmly into the device as Beast Boy folded his arms in annoyance.

Red X stood at the central monitor updating the file on Kardiac.

Terra slowly turned back to the window as Jinx walked up next to her.

"It'll be fine," Jinx said after a few seconds.

"How can _this_ be fine?" Terra asked looking at her hands.

"Trust me," Jinx said cheerfully. "If the Titans let _me_ on the team after all the stuff that I've… well… just… it'll be fine."

Terra looked at her for a moment.

"I'm Jinx, by the way," the pink-haired girl said, offering a hand. "You may not remember, but we've met before… briefly."

"And?" Terra asked.

"You made quite an impression," Jinx said with a small smile.

"Good or bad?" Terra asked.

Before Jinx could answer, Fixit walked through the door.

"Is Kardiac taken care of?" Red X asked, not even turning.

"Yes," Fixit answered. He turned to Beast Boy, noting the look on the green Titan's face. "It seems your conversation with the Mayor went well."

Beast Boy grunted.

Terra jumped as something slid across her shoe. "What is _that_?" she asked pointing at the small larva smiling up at her.

"That is Silkie," Fixit answered, moving to join Terra and Jinx at the window. "He is a larva originally created by Killer Moth and is now the Titan's… mascot?"

"Pretty much," Jinx said. She motioned between them all. "Terra, this is Silkie and Fixit. Silkie, Fixit, this is Terra."

"What… are you human?" Terra asked awkwardly as she shook Fixit's hand.

"I am attempting to become more so," Fixit answered. He lowered his voice as Jinx moved to join Red X at the monitor. "It is interesting how questions like, 'who are you?' and, 'what are you?' are becoming increasingly common as I continue to interact with humans."

"Sorry," Terra said, embarrassed. She felt her stress, confusion, and nervousness returning. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just… I don't know."

"Thank you," Raven said into the Communicator.

Beast Boy hopped up excitedly.

Raven nodded and glanced between Terra and Beast Boy before speaking into the Communicator again. "You trusted the Titans and you trusted Robin. Now trust Beast Boy. He may actually know what he's talking about this time."

"Hey!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

Raven smirked in his direction.

Terra found herself smiling but turned away as she felt the weight of what everything that was happening meant starting to bear down on her again.

Terra jumped again as somebody touched her back and she turned to see a sympathetic Beast Boy standing behind her.

The green Titan smiled sheepishly. "It's okay. You can stay here until we figure out what—"

"What 'what'?" Terra snapped. She let out a breath as her stress boiled over. "My life is over! My friends are going to be scared of me! And it's not going to take very long for the world to figure out who I am… who I was! According to you and everyone else, I nearly destroyed this city, and—"

"Terra!" Raven said sharply.

Terra stopped and turned to Raven. It was only then that she realized the dirt around the room had risen and was starting to swirl around her. The Tower had also begun to shake as the earth beneath it trembled.

"You need to control your emotions," Raven said firmly. "Calm. Down."

Terra closed her eyes and took a deep, trembling breath as she unclenched her glowing fists. The dirt fell to the ground as the Tower stopped shaking.

"This is going to go well," Red X said, breaking a short silence as Terra's hands stopped glowing.

"Give her some slack," Beast Boy snapped.

"BB's right, X," Jinx said as she moved to stand beside Terra. "You don't get what it's like to have powers. The fact that she was able to stop it just now means she's better off than either of you think."

"I know what happened when she used them last time," Red X said, finally turning away from the computer.

"She saved the city," Beast Boy insisted.

"After causing the volcano to erupt in the first—"

"Stop!" Terra shouted as the Tower shook for a moment. The dirt and dust in the room rose and fell.

Everyone turned to her.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not in the room!" Terra snapped. "I've had enough of that in school!"

After another silence, Fixit slowly stepped forward. "It is interesting how your powers seemed to be fueled by both instinct _and_ emotion," he said. "Perhaps—"

Jinx placed a hand on Fixit's shoulder to silence him.

Terra turned to Beast Boy. " _You_ say I'm a hero," she said. She turned to Red X. " _You_ say I'm dangerous."

"If it makes you feel any better," Red X said. "I can also respect 'dangerous'."

Terra scoffed.

Everyone remained silent and stood still.

Terra slowly looked at Beast Boy. "Who am I?" she asked quietly.

"You're Terra," Beast Boy answered.

"Not the one you knew," Terra argued. She ran a hand through her hair. "I mean, this morning, I was just a schoolgirl."

"Not anymore," Red X said.

Everyone looked at Red X.

The thief stepped forward, speaking matter-of-factly. "Now you're more. And whether you like it or not, you have a decision to make. Me, I don't care one way or the other. But I can't have you destroying my playground."

"If you want," Jinx said sympathetically to Terra. "We can help you. Trust me, what you have is a gift. You just need… practice."

"And control," Raven added firmly.

Terra looked around her at the Titans and Red X and then out the window to the city that Beast Boy said had once praised and feared her. A city that she had once saved, even if she couldn't remember how or why or when.

Terra closed her eyes for a moment before turning to Beast Boy. "I need to know what I am," she said.

Beast Boy slowly nodded. "We'll help you."

"So… where do we start?" Terra asked.

Raven slowly lowered her hood for the first time. "Do you truly want to know how to control these powers?"

"Yes," Terra said, certain for the first time since that very morning. She needed to get control of her life. "If I can't…"

"Then you need to _stop_ acting like a child," Raven said icily. "It's obvious that your emotions apply to your power. If you don't have control—"

"I get it," Terra said, holding up her hands. "I get it."

"We'll see," Raven said, ignoring a stern look from Beast Boy.

"We'd better start," Red X said, walking between them. "If we're going to be stupid, we may as well do it now."

"I can do it," Terra insisted, not necessarily believing herself.

"You'd better," Red X said. "And you'd best remember that you are _not_ our top concern right now, and I have no issue isolating you if you're going to be a bigger problem than you're worth."

"How about you lay off!" Beast Boy snapped at Red X.

"No, he's right," Terra said, holding up a hand. She gave Beast Boy an appreciative nod before turning back to Red X. "I see those portals just like everyone else. But if I can control these powers, I'll have the ability to help. And I should, shouldn't I?"

Off to the side, Jinx smiled slightly.

"The last time you 'helped', a job I was going to pull ended up five-hundred feet underground," Red X retorted. He slowly looked at each Titan in turn before looking at Terra, speaking with only a hint of sarcasm. "But at least you sound like a Titan."

"A just moral code increases the chances of success by at least five percent," Fixit said.

"What was the percentage before?" Beast Boy asked.

"That information would be… unhelpful."

"Greeeaaaat," Terra said.

"Well, first things first," Jinx said. "That schoolgirl outfit… not exactly something you fight effectively in."

"I don't have any other clothes," Terra said, somewhat embarrassed by her lack of style compared to those around her.

"Don't worry about it," Jinx said simply. "I made a call to a friend."

There was a flash of yellow and red over Jinx's shoulder as Terra's blue backpack and clothes from school and the orphanage appeared.

"Um…" Terra said as she moved to the pile. "What?"

"Did he forget anything?" Jinx asked as Terra started sifting through the clothes.

"Interesting friend you got," Terra said, confused as she grabbed a rose from the top of the pile. She turned and saw that Jinx was now holding a rose as well.

"That's mine," Jinx said quickly, grabbing the rose from Terra's hand.

"Oh," Terra said. She glanced over and saw Beast Boy folding his arms with a look that may have been jealousy. Terra looked back at Jinx, speaking slowly. "Can you thank him for me? Whoever he is?"

"I'll pass on the message," Jinx said with a suddenly clipped tone.

"Fixit," Red X called. "I think it's time to prep our new training area."

Fixit nodded. "Titan Raven, would you please assist me?"

Raven nodded and followed Fixit out the door.

"You can use my room to change," Jinx said to Terra, now using a politer tone. "It's on the way."

Red X moved aside as Jinx walked over to the couch and laid the roses down on top of it, slowly grabbing the butterfly drawing.

"He never gives you two roses," the thief commented.

"Can it," Jinx said, glowering at the floor. She walked back to Terra with a smile, handing her the butterfly drawing. "Follow me."

Terra looked back at Beast Boy and Red X as she placed her drawing into her backpack. She and Jinx each grabbed luggage from the ground.

Terra saw the thief glancing at the Communicator on his belt.

As Jinx and Terra made their way through the Tower, Terra saw small flashes of what she could only assume were memories. Sometimes she was alone. Sometimes she was with Titans she recognized like Beast Boy. But never Jinx, Red X, or Fixit.

Terra stopped and looked down at a panel with a viewscreen on the wall. A brief flash showed her looking down the hallway before slowly accessing the panel and hitting a few buttons.

 _The panel lit up and two words appeared._

 _Security: Deactivated_

"You okay?" Jinx asked as Terra returned to the present.

"Yeah," Terra replied.

As they turned another corner, Terra received a few more flashes but still didn't see the majority of the Titans currently residing in the Tower.

"Can I ask you something?" Terra said as they stopped next to a door labeled 'Jinx'.

"Shoot."

Terra hesitated. "I'm getting these flashes… memories, I guess and… You and X and Fixit aren't in any of them."

"That's because you were an original Titan," Jinx explained. "The Alpha Titans. But uh… after Brotherhood of Evil and these portals… some things had to change."

"So…" Terra said with a laugh. "Look, this is strange to ask but… is there anything I shouldn't mention or say. I don't want to be a burden or make anybody mad if—"

"You're not a burden" Jinx insisted.

Terra slowly nodded. She looked at the bag in her hand.

Jinx looked up and down the hallway quickly before turning to Terra. "Okay," the Titan said, pointing to the bag. "You get changed into something that you can _actually_ move in and I'll give you the short version of the Jump City Titans' roster."

Terra found herself smiling. She grabbed the bag and walked into Jinx's room before closing the door.

…

In the living room, Red X shut down the central monitor and turned to see Beast Boy still standing behind him, his arms folded.

"Just say it," Red X said.

"She was a Titan," Beast Boy said calmly, but firmly. "She was a Titan and she's my friend. We're giving her a chance."

"She was more than just a Titan and a _friend,_ though," Red X said quietly. "Wasn't she? Or at least, almost—"

Beast Boy unfolded his arms. "Hey! That's none of your—"

"I agree with you," Red X interrupted, shocking Beast Boy into silence. "I agree that if she trains, she should do it with us."

"So, now you want her on the team?" Beast Boy asked, looking just as curious as he did confused. "I thought—"

"Whether she's on your team or not doesn't matter to me," Red X said. "If she's not in a flash-freeze prison and under lockdown, then she should be here."

"I wouldn't let you put her in prison," Beast Boy said adamantly.

"I'd put her in prison without a second's hesitation," Red X retorted. "But if you were willing to stage a breakout, then I'd really be impressed."

Beast Boy didn't reply.

Red X let out a breath. "My point is, if she's out there and she loses control, or worse, if somebody makes her the right offer, everything that happened is going to repeat all over again. But if she's here—"

"We can teach her the right way," Beast Boy completed. "We'll be there for her from the start this time."

" _You_ will be here from the start," Red X corrected. "Me, I'd like to avoid unnatural earthquakes."

Red X glanced at his Communicator for a moment before moving past Beast Boy and walking toward the door.

"Should we bring in Geo-Force?" Beast Boy asked. "Her brother?"

"Why ask me?" Red X grunted.

"I don't know," Beast Boy said, rubbing the back of his head. "But if he's her brother, he may be able to help."

Red X was silent for a moment. "What did Raven say?"

"She said we should wait," Beast Boy admitted. "I kinda agree. It may be too much for Terra right now."

Red X glanced at his Communicator. "Then we wait."

Beast Boy nodded but remained where he was.

"What?" Red X said.

"Nothing," Beast Boy said sheepishly. "It's just… Terra's training with us and… I never thought you and I would agree on something."

"Don't get used to it."

…

Terra stepped out of Jinx's room, now dressed in a light-weight pair of dark blue pants, and a black t-shirt with grey trim.

"Looks good," Jinx said simply.

Terra grabbed her backpack.

They walked down the hallway and into an elevator.

Jinx spoke to as she hit a button and the elevator began to descend. "So, in short, Fixit is a great listener as long as you don't ask him any questions that you don't want to the know the answer to."

"That I was able to figure out for myself," Terra said.

Jinx nodded. "We're still working on the difference between rhetorical and literal questioning," she explained. The elevator started to slow as she continued. "Red X hates being called 'X', which is why _I_ call him that, and he hates everything 'hero'. The key to get him to tolerate you is to just do your best. You do that, and he'll respect you. Just don't expect him to show it."

Terra hesitated. "Not that I know any better," she started cautiously. "But Red X doesn't seem like a logical choice for the Titans no matter how you slice it."

"Desperate times," Jinx replied as the door opened into a large cavern. They started to walk forward as Jinx continued. "As for you and me, we're already cool."

"That's it?" Terra asked. "I mean, Beast Boy's been pretty cool too, but everyone else has been—"

"I used to be a villain," Jinx interrupted.

Terra stopped talking.

Jinx shrugged. "I'm not necessarily proud of it, but… it was all I knew. I just think you should have a choice in who you're going to be. And frankly, I look forward to really seeing what you can do this time around."

"This time around?" Terra asked as they neared the Titans and Red X in the center of the room.

Jinx smiled slightly. "You _really_ don't remember the day we met, do you?"

Terra shook her head.

Jinx shrugged. "All in good time."

"Ah, you have excellent timing," Fixit said from a nearby control panel as they reached the group. "This area shall be ready for training modules momentarily."

"And the odds that the place is going to come down on us?" Red X asked.

"Don't answer that," Jinx said to Fixit, winking at Terra.

Beast Boy walked up to Terra. "You got a sec?" he asked.

Terra nodded, and they walked off to the side of the room.

"I didn't think you were interested in heroes," Beast Boy said once they were out of earshot.

"That's because I didn't fully believe you," Terra said, looking down. "It's all complicated. I mean, after you talked to me at school… I was never interested. Even when the twins had that big race with that other guy, I barely even watched."

"Studying for a biology test?" Beast Boy asked.

"Sociology," Terra said, setting her backpack down.

"Did you pass?"

"No."

Beast Boy nodded.

Terra took a good look around the cavern, noting it's wide, spherical walls, and it's grey upper catwalks and rafters as well as the training machinery all around them.

"Did you guys build this place?" Terra asked.

"No, technically that was Slade's worm robot drill things," Beast Boy said. "But Titans Tower almost ended up down here because of it."

"How did you stop it?" Terra asked.

"I didn't," Beast Boy said, looking at the ceiling before returning his gaze to Terra. "You did. You and Raven."

"Beast Boy," Raven called.

Beast Boy exchanged nods with Terra before rejoining Raven.

Terra walked over to the control panel by Fixit.

"You called me 'Titan Terra' earlier," Terra said as Fixit turned to her.

"You are a Titan. And you are Terra," Fixit said simply. "But, if you prefer, I can call you 'Terra'."

"I don't even know what to call myself anymore," Terra said, almost to herself.

"That is why I wish to help," Fixit said. He started speaking slowly. "You and I are… similar. We both wish for a clear identity. The Titans are helping me to find mine. I, in turn, wish to help you find yours."

"Thank you," Terra said gratefully, at a loss for further words.

"You are welcome," Fixit said. He motioned to the rest of the group. "Come. There is much training to be done."

Terra and Fixit walked toward the rest of the group.

Fixit pointed at the ground, which now held a variety of different types of dirt, sand, and rock. Some patches were softer while others were solid. "I have adjusted the water and heating pipes underneath this training room to give you multiple types of soil and earth to work with. It is sufficed to say that your training will not be impeded by a lack of material."

Terra looked up and noticed that the main 'material' in the room was rock. And it was currently supporting the ceiling.

"Keep control," Terra said to herself as she felt power rising within her again. "Keep control."

Terra stopped as she reached the group. Raven stood before her and was flanked by Beast Boy and Jinx. Fixit stood at a nearby control panel. Off to the side, Red X was tossing an X-Shuriken from hand to hand.

Raven stepped forward and spoke directly to Terra. "Your powers are more than mere tricks with earth," she said. "They, and through them, _you,_ can be the world's most powerful protector… or its most dangerous destroyer."

Terra clenched her fists to stop the power from rising within her again as she felt nervous about what she was about to learn.

"If you want to control your powers, you need to control yourself and your emotions," Raven said.

"How?" Terra asked. "How can I control them?"

"You start by understanding them," Raven said. "Are you ready?"

"Probably not," Terra answered.

"Good answer," Jinx said with a nod of admiration.

"If you're abilities still work the way they used to," Raven said. "Then even now, untrained, you have an enormous amount of power that you can exert. But these powers don't necessarily come by choice. Not yet. Right now, for the most part, they come from incentive."

"What kind of incentive?" Terra asked.

"Any kind," Raven answered. "It can be based on reflex. It can be based on determination. Most of all, your emotions are what drive you and your powers."

"That's what makes you dangerous," Red X said.

"Incentive is ultimately the key," Raven stated. "Incentive, reflexive or not, determines how much you want to exert your powers. The less incentive you have, the less power you're going to exert. And when you add emotion to the mix—"

"Too much emotion means too much incentive and in turn, power," Terra said. She looked down. "Then I become dangerous."

"Not after we teach you to control it," Beast Boy said calmly.

"Then you're only dangerous to criminals," Jinx added.

Raven looked at Fixit. "Are we ready?" she asked.

"Yes," Fixit answered. "I have also activated the cameras to record this session for further playback."

Raven nodded at Terra. "Eventually, you'll be able to transform the earth into various forms to suit your needs," she said. She pointed at the mud on the ground. "But for now, we'll stick with softer soil."

"Okay," Terra said quietly. "Okay…"

Everyone took a step back and Terra reached out, attempting to summon her power to manipulate the mud. After a few seconds… nothing happened.

"It's not working," Terra said quickly.

"It's okay," Beast Boy said. "You just need a little practice—"

"I know!" Terra snapped.

The mud on the ground rose and fired itself in the direction of the Titans.

Raven flicked her wrist as the Titans braced themselves and the mud glowed with black energy before moving in the other direction.

Off to the side, Red X grunted.

"That was cool," Jinx said genuinely.

"That was sloppy," Raven said somewhat sternly.

Terra looked down, ashamed.

Beast Boy gave Raven a look. "We can't do this the way we used to," he said quietly.

Raven slowly nodded. "You're right."

"This is why I never was interested in powers," Red X said off to the side as he threw an X-shuriken at a target across the room. The X-shuriken hit the target dead center. The thief sighed. "It's way too much hassle and would eventually make the job way to easy."

Raven glanced at him irritably and slowly raised her hand. The floor glowed black as several large stones slowly rose from the ground and shot in Red X's direction.

Terra reflexively raised her hands to redirect the stone. But again, her powers failed her.

Red X's eye's widened for a moment before he gracefully flipped out of the way, dodging most of the stones and cutting one apart with his right wrist-blade.

"Really?" Red X said to Raven calmly as he retracted the wrist-blade.

Jinx and Beast Boy busted out laughing as Fixit looked between them, seeming utterly confused.

"Well, at least you make an effective moving target," Beast Boy said to Red X.

Terra laughed.

Beast Boy blushed somewhat.

Terra blushed as well.

"It seems I still have much to learn about the intricacies of humor," Fixit said.

Raven looked between Terra and Beast Boy.

Terra saw a small smile cross Raven's face. The cloaked Titan raised her hand as twelve large rocks extracted themselves from the ground and hovered in the air for a moment. Raven locked eyes with Terra before the rocks slowly glided toward Beast Boy.

Beast Boy let out a small squeal as the rocks sped up and sailed toward him.

Terra slammed her eyes shut, knowing that she couldn't stop the rocks in time. After a second, she realized that she never even heard the impact. Terra slowly opened her eyes.

The rocks hovered an inch away from Beast Boy's face. It took Terra a second to realize that it was not Raven who was controlling the rocks.

Terra looked down at her own glowing hands. "I did it…" she said, feeling half scared and half excited. She found her confidence growing. "I got this."

"It seems we have found 'incentive'," Fixit said.

Raven turned directly to Beast Boy.

Beast Boy glared at her. "Raven, don't even think about it!"

"I would run," Jinx advised, taking a few steps away from Beast Boy.

Beast Boy screamed and took off running as Raven threw more earth at him.

Terra raised her arms, this time keeping her eyes open. Each time a stone got close to Beast Boy, she exerted more energy, mostly slowing the rocks down and, on occasion stopping a stone in midair before letting it drop to the ground.

"Okay, Raven!" Beast Boy shouted as he continued to run. "I think we can change tac— hey!"

…

Jinx glanced at Red X as the thief let out an amused grunt.

"You say something?" Jinx asked.

"No."

…

Terra threw yet another group of rocks aside as a panting Beast Boy came to a stop.

"I think you've made your point," Jinx said to Raven.

"This is cool," Terra said, pointing at the ground. She raised a few pebbles from the ground and started to circle them in the air. She looked at the Titans and Red X. "I want to keep going."

"What do you need to remember?" Raven asked, freezing Terra's pebbles with her magic.

Terra looked at her for a moment and took a deep breath. "Control," she said.

Raven released the pebbles and Terra gently lowered them to the ground.

"So," Beast Boy said casually as he relaxed. "Now that you have powers, do you believe what I told you about yourself?"

"I think I'm ready for you to throw mud at my face again," Terra challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"I was kinda hoping you'd forgotten about that," Beast Boy said, looking down.

"A girl never forgets," Jinx said.

"I did," Terra said sadly. She sighed and turned away. _I'm still not a hero. I still don't know who I am._

Terra glanced at Raven who was looking at her thoughtfully.

"Well," Jinx said cheerfully, getting Terra's attention. "As somebody who's gone through a lot of different kinds of trainings, I think you did well for your first session."

"When's the next one?" Terra asked determinedly.

They all looked at her.

"School's out," Terra said with a shrug. "I've got nothing better to do until summer school starts in a couple weeks."

Before anyone could reply, a console on the side of the room lit up.

Red X moved to the console. "Dr. Light," he said lazily. "Again."

"He should really just give up," Jinx commented as she joined Red X at the console.

"He gives us thieves a bad name," Red X grunted.

"What do you say?" Beast Boy asked Terra. "Wanna help us stop a bad guy?"

Terra opened her mouth to reply, then froze, remembering how helpless she felt as Kardiac had moved toward her.

"No need," Red X answered for her. "He's a quick job. Jinx?"

"Only if I get to be the one to slap the cuffs on him," Jinx replied. "I'll probably get more exercise doing that than actually taking him down."

Terra nodded to herself and turned away.

"But I wouldn't object to some backup," Jinx said loudly.

Terra took a deep breath and looked at Raven. "What do you think?" she asked the Titan.

"I think it's best you let Jinx and Red X handle this one," Raven said after a moment.

"I think she'd do fine," Beast Boy argued. "I mean, it's only Dr. Light."

"There's more training that we can do," Raven said firmly. "And _you_ can help her, Beast Boy."

"I don't think I'm ready to run again," Beast Boy said.

"You don't have to," Raven said as Red X and Jinx departed.

"Oh… okay," Beast Boy said, somewhat excitedly.

"So, what are we doing now?" Terra asked.

"Your powers," Raven said. "Like my own, are limited only by what you 'think' you can do."

"I think I can pick up and throw rocks," Terra said optimistically. "That's better than what I could do this morning."

"Those are parlor tricks," Raven said. She raised her hands and a circular platform of magic appeared beneath her. "I can create twenty of these. And so can you."

"You mean, I can _change_ rocks after I've picked them up?" Terra asked.

Raven nodded. She flicked her wrist and the platform turned into a hand that poked the side of Beast Boy's head.

Beast Boy just sighed.

"How do I do that?" Terra asked.

"You practice," Raven said. She looked at Beast Boy. "And _you're_ going to help her."

"Me?" Beast Boy asked as the hand disappeared.

"You're going to tell her what to make and she's going to make it," Raven said simply.

"Um…" Beast Boy said. "Can you make a ball so I can throw it at Raven when she's not looking?"

Terra looked at Raven, asking silent permission.

Raven nodded.

Terra looked at the muddy area of the training center and raised her hand. Surprisingly, a bunch of mud started to slowly rise from the ground. Terra closed her eyes. She held up a hand, imagining that she was holding a pencil and drew a circle.

Next, Terra imagined the circle of mud expanding and overlapping upon itself, creating a ball.

Terra smiled to herself, somehow knowing that she was succeeding.

"Terra," Beast Boy said very quietly. "I think that's big enough."

Terra opened her eyes and saw that the 'small' ball that she had created was almost as tall as the ceiling.

"Sorry," Terra said quickly. The ball started to fall apart, sending mud everywhere.

Raven wordlessly grabbed the mud with her magic and placed it on the ground.

"With practice," Fixit said, now standing next to Raven. "You could become quite efficient in your manipulation of your power."

"Remember to keep your eyes open," Raven advised.

Terra nodded. "Okay."

Terra tried the same process again, this time keeping her eyes open. This time, when she was finished, the ball was the size of her hand. Terra let out a breath and smiled, looking at Beast Boy who was smiling too.

"Keep it up," Raven said. She looked at Beast Boy. "And keep it basic."

Beast Boy nodded and he sat down.

Terra smiled and sat down as well.

"Fixit," Raven said. "The device that I discussed with you on our way down here, can it be done?"

"Construction has begun," Fixit answered. "It should be ready in an hour."

"What device?" Terra asked.

"I think there's a way you can get your memories back," Raven said.

"How?"

Raven opened her mouth to reply when her Communicator chimed.

"Who is it?" Beast Boy asked as Raven opened the device and froze.

"It's Robin," Raven said quietly. She moved to the elevator without another word.

Fixit looked at Terra and Beast Boy, who were sitting in silence.

The cybernetic being took a step back. "I shall be in my room if you require my assistance. I wish to personally oversee the device's final adjustments."

Terra started to gather another glob of mud from the ground, before setting it down.

"Are you okay?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra looked at Beast Boy. "Thank you," she said.

"For what?" Beast Boy asked.

"Just… thanks."

"You're welcome," Beast Boy said. "Can you make me a comb? All this running is ruining my do."

Terra raised an eyebrow. "You really want a muddy comb for your hair?"

…

"Can I have your code sheet?" Jinx asked as she and Red X watched the police cart Dr. Light away from the local donut shop.

Red X just looked at her.

"I know you have them," Jinx said, holding out her hand. She raised an eyebrow. "And if you're about to tell me that you don't have a photographic memory and haven't memorized—"

"You don't have to be insulting," Red X interrupted. He shook his head and handed Jinx a piece of paper from his belt. "This is for the schoolgirl isn't it?"

"Her name is 'Terra'," Jinx said firmly. They started walking back to the Tower. "And if she's going to be training with us, she may as well be able to get around the Tower."

"That's a big security risk," Red X commented, ignoring suspicious looks from nearby police officers.

"So are you," Jinx replied simply.

…

"Can you make a heart?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra made a heart the size of Beast Boy's hand without even looking at the mud floating in the air.

"You're learning really quick," Beast Boy commented.

"Yeah," Terra said with a small amount of surprise. "It's starting to feel like I've actually done this before."

"You have," Beast Boy reminded her.

"Another Terra did," Terra corrected, her hair falling slightly as it covered one of her eyes. "I'm still just trying to figure this out."

Beast Boy slowly reached out and tucked the hair behind Terra's ear. "You may not be able to control all your powers, but… I don't really see a difference the Terra you say you _aren't_ and the one that I know you _are_. The one that's sitting in front of me."

Terra smiled slightly and slowly moved his hand away.

Beast Boy nodded, almost to himself. "How um… How much do you remember about… us?"

"Nothing," Terra answered truthfully with a hint of guilt in her voice.

Beast Boy's pointed ears drooped somewhat.

After a few seconds, Terra shrugged. "When I think hard, I kinda remember you talking about how all the girls go for the ears."

Beast Boy smiled. "I don't suppose you can make me a crown to go with the ears?"

Terra raised her hand again.

"How about tape for your mouth," Raven suggested, walking back into the room with Fixit.

Terra chuckled as Beast Boy let out an audible 'humph'.

"I wish to show you something," Fixit said. He walked up to Terra and Beast Boy as they stood. "The device is complete."

"What is it?" Terra asked.

Fixit held out a flat, rectangular object the size of a Gamestation4 controller. There was a small camera near the top of the device and large button in the middle. There were glass panels on the two short sides of the device.

"This device is the key to unlocking your memories," Fixit said. "And while the creation of this device is quite complex, it is very simple to use."

Terra slowly took the device.

"First, press this button," Fixit said, pointing to the button on the center of the device. He pointed at the camera. "This will verify your identity. Only you are able to use this device."

"And what do these do?" Terra asked, looking at the two glass panels on either side of the device.

"The glass panels will begin to glow black," Fixit said. "And then you will be able to experience your memories. Once they are experienced, they will only diminish with time like most sentient beings."

"Can I… can I try one now?" Terra asked, both eager for answers and afraid of them at the same time.

"You may," Fixit said as he and Beast Boy took a step back.

Terra looked at the device and pressed the button. The camera flashed and glowed blue, illuminating her face. A second later, the glass panels on the device glowed black beneath her fingers.

Terra closed her eyes and opened them. However, she was no longer in the training room beneath Titans Tower. She was in a small room surrounded by stone walls. At its center was a woman with long blond hair and a brown dress laying on a bed.

Next to the bed was a man, sharply dressed in a grey military uniform with a sash on his vest. His black hair was neatly combed, and he cradled a yellow bundle in his hands.

Curious, Terra walked forward. The man, nor the woman on the bed paid her any attention. They didn't even seem to realize she was there. Terra moved around the man and looked over his shoulder.

The bundle held a baby. It had light skin and a small clump of blonde hair. The baby opened its eyes slightly and Terra saw that they were blue. _Those are my eyes!_

Terra gulped and took a step back as the memory continued. As the man and woman started to converse in words that Terra couldn't understand, she found herself thinking one thing. _How exactly do I get out of these mem—_

All of a sudden, Terra was back in the training room. She blinked several times.

"Terra?"

Terra turned to see Beast Boy staring at her.

Beast Boy gulped. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Terra said.

"You went blank like Cyborg does when he shuts down," Beast Boy said.

"What?" Terra asked. She looked around. "How long was I—"

"Only a second," Beast Boy said quickly.

"How?" Terra asked. She looked at Fixit. "How can I experience these memories that last… that can last years, but only seconds at the same time."

"I designed this device with the human brain in mind," Fixit replied. "Specifically, I took inspiration from operations that occur within the brain when humans sleep."

"I don't understand," Terra said, tipping her head.

"You'll get used to it," Beast Boy commented.

"Time does not change," Fixit explained. "However, when a human is asleep, their _perspective_ of time is altered. I have created this device to alter your perspective of time. Thus, it can allow you to experience years of memories in mere seconds."

"Like dreaming," Terra said, nodding. "That's why I went blank. I was practically dreaming."

"I am happy that I managed to get the balance of brain activity correct," Fixit said. "You would not still be standing up if I had failed."

"Well, that's convenient," Terra said.

"It is," Fixit agreed.

Raven returned to the training room, looking somewhat troubled.

"What's wrong?" Beast Boy asked Raven.

"Nothing," Raven replied.

Terra thought back to her memory, which was surprisingly fresh, as if it were now cemented into her brain. "I saw me," she said, looking back at Fixit. "Why didn't I see it through, you know, my baby eyes?"

"The science of that is…" Fixit hesitated, glancing at Raven for a moment. "Complicated."

"Can I pick and choose?" Terra asked. She pointed at the device. "Can I pick and choose what memories I want to witness?"

"Yes," Raven answered.

"This device will accept keywords," Fixit said. He pointed at the camera. "As you are being scanned, you can say small phrases like 'Titans' or 'Slade' or 'birth' and the device will scan your memories for relevant data. If you say nothing, then the memories will continue at the point you previously left off."

"Wow," Terra whispered. She looked at the ground around her. The ground she could now manipulate. "This is unreal."

"It's _very_ real," Raven said.

"Where should I start?" Terra asked Beast Boy and Raven.

"What?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra looked between the Titans. "You guys seem to know me better than me," she admitted. "Where should I start? What do I need to see to understand and remember… me? As I was?"  
Beast Boy looked at Raven.

Raven waited a moment before answering. "I think you should start with the Titans," she answered. "Your life before meeting the Titans may be… very complicated. But we can help you understand the context of memories involving us."

"With one extra potential benefit," Fixit said. He pointed to the device. "Experiencing the use of your powers could theoretically give you the ability to emulate what you have seen."

"But you still need to be careful," Raven added. "If you try to do something without working up to it—"

"Then I won't be able to control it and I bring the Tower down on top of us," Terra completed.

Raven nodded.

"Alright," Terra said. She looked at the device. "Then I start with the Titans."

"Are you sure?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah," Terra said somewhat cheerfully. "Never hurts to shake things up."

Beast Boy smiled. "We'll give you some privacy."

…

Raven, Beast Boy, and Fixit walked out of the training room, leaving Terra to her own thoughts and memories.

Fixit exited the elevator a few floors early.

Raven looked over and saw Beast Boy still smiling.

Raven slowly reached out hit a button on the elevator, allowing it to stop.

Beast Boy just continued smiling, not seeming to notice.

Raven slowly nodded. "You like this, don't you?"

"What's not to like?" Beast Boy asked. He looked at Raven. "I mean… Terra's back."

"Not the one you knew," Raven said.

"Well, maybe not completely," Beast Boy admitted. "But with time… I mean, I'm already seeing parts of her just… here. Right now."

"This is easier for _us_ than it is for _her_ ," Raven said firmly.

"We're going to make it easier for her," Beast Boy said simply. "We're her friends."

"But we weren't always," Raven reminded him. "When she learns about her past, Geo-Force, Slade… what she did… she may change her mind."

"She's not going to turn bad," Beast Boy said with certainty.

"Maybe not, but this still may not end the way you want it to," Raven warned.

"Why are you always so negative," Beast Boy asked. "It's like you don't want her to—"

"I want to keep my home _safe_ ," Raven said firmly. "If that means training her, then that's what I'll do. But if she slips—"

"She won't," Beast Boy insisted.

"If she does," Raven said. "I'll do what I have to. What _we_ almost had to when she and Slade—"

"She. Won't. Slip," Beast Boy said again.

Raven sighed, knowing this was a conversation that would go nowhere. She hit the button again to restart the elevator and they continued their ascent.

…

Terra opened her eyes to a new memory and saw herself.

The Other Terra awoke, stretching inside the cave she'd used as shelter for the night. She walked out into the sun and stood on the cliff's edge, wearing a grey and black t-shirt over a grey sweater. She brushed off her blue shorts before pulling on a pair of brown gloves and boots. Lastly, she placed a silver, butterfly-shaped comb in her hair to hold her blonde locks out of her eyes.

The Other Terra sighed and looked beyond the canyon beneath her at the large city looming in the distance. She took a step forward.

Terra froze as she saw rather than felt the ground shaking underneath her.

The Other Terra noticed it as well.

Both Terra's turned and saw a large scorpion with orange eyes dig itself out of the ground and look at the Other Terra.

The Other Terra's eyes widened before slid down the cliff and into the canyon before taking off running.

Terra, feeling her fear rising even though she knew she was in no real danger, followed suit and took off after the Other Terra.

The Other Terra stumbled to the ground and the comb fell from her hair. She was forced to leave the comb behind as the scorpion drew closer.

As she chased herself through the canyon, jumping up and over rocks in her path, Terra saw that they were coming to a dead end. Just before the dead end, two large pieces of rock loomed above, connecting the sides of the canyon.

The Other Terra stopped at the dead end and both Terra's turned to see the scorpion draw near them, raising its pinchers high in the air.

The Other Terra looked away as the Teen Titans appeared overhead with Beast Boy in the form of a wolf.

Just as the Titans were about to leap into action, the Other Terra smiled as her eyes and hands glowed yellow.

Terra gasped as the large piece of rock overhead detached itself from the cliff and crushed the scorpion.

A few seconds later, the Other Terra smiled and raised herself to the top of the canyon, using her powers to create a pillar of rock and stone.

In her wonder, Terra released herself from the memory and looked around the training room and then at the ground. _All this… I can manipulate all this?_

Terra practiced for the next ten minutes, attempting to raise herself from the ground using the same technique she had used when creating objects for Beast Boy. And while she couldn't raise the ground beneath her more than a few feet, she found that it was getting easier to separate the earth from the ground itself.

Terra smiled as she hopped from a platform that she'd made float a few centimeters from the ground. _All that stuff she… **I** did… Will I be able to do that too?_

The ground began to shake beneath Terra as her excitement grew. She gasped and forced herself to sit down. After a few seconds, all the possibilities, both positive and negative, returned as well as her excitement. Terra stood, grabbed her backpack, and placed the memory device inside. She started to walk, hoping to calm the mixture of emotions within.

…

Unbeknownst to Terra, the ground beneath her rose slightly with each step as she walked across the dirt-covered cavern and into the elevator.

…

Terra had a brief run-in with Jinx during which she received codes to most areas of the Tower.

From the basement sub-levels to the top floor of Titans Tower, she explored, receiving small flashes of memories here and there, most of which were good.

It wasn't until she reached the main floor that Terra realized Beast Boy was part of almost every happy memory inside Titans Tower.

Terra smiled slightly, thinking back to the last few hours with Beast Boy in the training room.

Terra typed in a code on a door and continued out onto the roof, so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Raven walking toward the door, her head in a book.

Terra accidently ran straight into Raven.

"Sorry!" Terra said quickly as she and Raven both took a step back, rubbing their heads. Terra picked up Raven's book, the title of which was in a language she didn't recognize. She quickly handed the book to the Titan. "Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going."

"You should probably work on that," Raven grunted, taking the book. "Somebody's going to get hurt if you don't watch what you're doing."

" _Sorry_ ," Terra said, this time with a bit of attitude. _She really needs to loosen up._

Raven sighed.

"I am taking what you say seriously," Terra insisted, standing up a little taller, keeping the attitude in her voice "So, you can stop acting like I'm not. Trust me, I don't—"

"I'm sorry," Raven interrupted, somewhat sharply. She took a deep breath and spoke in a calmer tone. "I don't trust easily. And… this is just the way I am."

Terra took a breath as well. "I am grateful," she said without the attitude. "For… you know, everything."

"Let it show though your actions," Raven said calmly.

Terra nodded.

Raven moved to the door as the sun started to set, leaving them surrounded by a cloudy orange sky.

"Do you hate me?" Terra asked. Her voice held little attitude and no small amount of curiosity.

"What?" Raven asked, closing her book.

Terra looked a way for a moment, embarrassed. "It's just… I've been getting these flashes when I've been exploring and you're around in some of them, but…" Terra scratched the back of her head. "I just want to know if there was a problem. If there _is_ a problem that I can try and fix if I have to."

Raven opened her mouth as if to reply, then closed it. She looked down before a moment before meeting Terra's eyes. "You did well today, Terra."

Terra looked at the sky as it started to rain. _Well, I guess that's the best I'm going to get from her. At least Beast Boy can get her talking most of the time._

Raven moved toward the door again.

Terra turned quickly. "Raven."

Raven turned, her hand resting on the door.

Terra blushed somewhat. "Since you haven't told me to stop talking to you yet, can I ask you something else?"

Raven removed her hand from the door, waiting patiently.

"You and Beast Boy," Terra said.

Raven tipped her head. "Yes?"

"Are you and him…"

"Me and him 'what?" Raven asked. Understanding followed by confusion dawned on her face.

"Yeah…" Terra said, looking away, somewhat embarrassed herself.

"Me and Beast Boy," Raven said skeptically with a hint of amusement. She let out a half chuckle. "No."

"Really?" Terra asked, surprised. "I mean… you and Beast Boy seem to know each other really well, and the way you guys act sometimes, I just figured…"

Raven smiled slightly, shook her head, and looked to the portal-covered sky above. She sighed, speaking quietly. "Those portals… some of them lead to different dimensions. Different timelines. Different realities," she said distantly. After a few seconds, she looked at Terra. "Maybe through one of those portals, Beast Boy and I… but here? Now? No. We're just friends."

"My second guess would have been family," Terra said cautiously.

"Maybe," Raven said thoughtfully, looking at the portals again.

After a few seconds of silence, Terra chuckled.

"What?" Raven asked.

"Nothing," Terra said quickly. She raised her hands slightly. "It's just… in my school, you try to have a conversation like this with another girl and it's, you know, ' _yeesh_ ', but you… you're pretty cool."

Raven slowly nodded. "You were pretty cool sometimes too."

"Thanks," Terra said again. She walked toward the door.

"Terra?" Raven said.

Terra slowly turned back.

"Don't hurt him," Raven pleaded gently.

Terra opened her mouth to reply, then looked down. "But I already did," she said sadly, her confusion over her past returning. She looked at Raven. "Didn't I?"

"That was a long time ago," Raven said. She turned away.

"Who was Slade?" Terra asked before she could convince herself to stay silent.

"He's…" Raven sighed. "You were his apprentice."

"Why?"

Raven looked at Terra. "Why not ask Beast Boy?" the Titan inquired.

"Because I know you'll give me the full truth," Terra answered.

Raven remained silent for a moment. "You needed control," she finally said. "And Slade made an offer."

"That's why I turned traitor?" Terra asked. She looked at her hands. "That's why I did all the things that I—"

"I don't have all the answers as to why you did what you did," Raven interrupted.

Terra gulped as her hands started to glow somewhat. Terra felt herself in control once more, looking at Raven as her hands stopped glowing.

Raven tucked her book under her arm. "Come with me."

Terra followed Raven off the roof, down a few hallways, and to a door labeled 'Raven'.

Raven stopped them at the door. "This is a one-time thing," she said firmly. "Nobody goes into my room without me or my permission."

The door slid open and they entered.

"Trust me," Terra said as she tentatively set her backpack on the floor by the door. "If I had a room of my own at the orphanage, I'd be the same way."

The room was dark and gloomy. The shelves were decorated with books of multiple languages, there were bits of jewelry and candles as well as scrolls sitting on the furniture. There small statues featuring opera masks sitting on a desk. Off to the side was a mostly empty dresser.

"Sit on the bed," Raven said as she moved to the dresser.

"What are we doing?" Terra asked as she sat down.

"You seem to be mainly focusing on the bad," Raven said. She put her book down and picked up something from the dresser. "I think you should see some of the good."

Raven moved to the bed, holding a grey mirror. Along either side of its circular rim were two oval indents that laid between two spikes. There was a small red gem near the handle and a larger red gem near the top.

Raven placed her hand on the top half of the handle and offered Terra the bottom. Terra slowly reached forward and touched the mirror.

Terra gasped as a hand of black energy reached out and grabbed both Terra and Raven, drawing them into the mirror.

All of a sudden, Terra was tumbling through a long tunnel with swirling black and blue energy. Raven remained in the air as the tunnel opened to reveal solid ground below. Terra braced herself for the impact but found herself caught by Raven's magic and she was slowly lowered to the ground.

Terra stood and found herself in a large and completely empty white area. Around her were three stone archways that led to vastly different environments.

The nearest section contained a series of large floating rock formations that occasionally formed paths. The sky was black with red stars. Terra spotted small black ravens with red eyes on a few of the rock formations. They looked at Terra with what only could be described as suspicion.

The second section was the complete opposite of the first. It was bright and colorful with a yellow sky, tons of trees, and a field of flowers of various colors as well as floating strawberries. Like the first section, there were multiple branching paths within.

The third section was dark like the first, but sported several eclipses, bright white stars, and whole plains of stone instead of flowers or grass.

As Terra looked around, she felt herself drawn toward the first section. Its red stars and red-eyed ravens seeming to call to her. At the same time, the current area she was in felt familiar, yet no flashes or memories presented themselves. _I feel like I've been here before…_

"Where are we?" Terra asked, turning to Raven.

"We're in my mind," Raven said slowly. "My mirror is a portal. Sometimes… I need to confront my feelings directly."

"That seems like it would be cool," Terra said, turning and looking around again.

"It can be dangerous," Raven said without judgement. She turned and looked Terra in the eye. "You have to understand that this place… it's everything I am. My emotions, my feelings, my powers, everything."

"What are we doing here?" Terra asked.

"I want to show you a couple things," Raven said. She motioned toward the archway containing the white stars and eclipses. "They're this way."

They'd only taken one step when Terra shopped. "This place… it feels like I'm in one of my memories."

Raven stopped with her back to Terra but didn't reply.

"The glowing panels on my memory device," Terra said, walking up to Raven. "It's not just science that makes it work. It's magic too. _Your_ magic."

"Yes," Raven said quietly.

"That's why I wasn't seeing things through my eyes as a baby," Terra assumed. "Because I'm really seeing it through _your_ eyes."

Raven slowly nodded.

"You're a private person," Terra said, taking another step toward Raven. "That much I get. But you're willing to let me use _your_ powers to get _my_ memories."

"I'll always help my friends," Raven said softly.

"So we were friends," Terra said, smiling slightly. She took a deep breath. "What about now? Are we still friends?"

"We'll see," Raven said. She looked around for a moment before turning back to Terra. "Now you need to listen because this is important. These memories… their strength is derived from my emotions."

"Just like my powers," Terra said.

"Like _our_ powers," Raven corrected. She motioned to the three archways as they continued walking. "The stronger the emotion, the stronger the memory and the pull toward them. There are some things that you don't want to see just yet. So, whatever happens I need you to stay close to—"

Terra gasped as a Raven wearing a red cloak appeared in front of them. The Red Raven had four, red eyes in place of the two purple eyes.

Red Raven smiled evilly with pointed teeth. "I remember what you did…" it hissed at Terra.

"What are you talking about?" Terra asked, taking a few steps back.

"Don't listen to it!" Raven warned. She raised her arms. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Raven's black magic shot out toward Red Raven. Red Raven hissed and red magic shot from its mouth out to meet Raven's own magic. The collision of energies blasted Terra off her feet as she rolled toward the archway leading to the sky with the red stars.

Terra slowly stood and turned as tiny, black ravens flew through the archway, each speaking in soft, high pitched voices as they swarmed around.

"Come with us…"

"See the truth…"

"See what we really think of you…"

"Terra!" Raven shouted as she started to push Red Raven back. "Don't listen to them! Just wai—"

But Terra was already walking toward the archway.

Raven's voice was drowned out by the continuing taunts of the small birds.

"We never trusted you…"

"You were evil…"

"Let us show you who you are…"

The second Terra stepped through the archway, she became one with the memories. She no longer felt her own presence. She was enthralled and trapped at the same time.

 _Terra wore blue tinted goggles over her head, a black, cropped top shirt with a circled Yellow 'T' in the center, and yellow shorts held up by a brown belt as well as a pair of brown gloves and boots._

 _Terra watched as the Titans ran out of the living room to confront a threat from Slade. Robin and Raven turned back._

 _"Are you coming or not?" Robin asked._

 _"Does this mean I'm on the team?" Terra asked cautiously._

 _"It means we could use your help," Robin replied._

 _Terra nodded, smiled, and ran past the Titans, accidently bumping into Raven._

 _Raven took a step back as a series of images flashed through her head._

 _Terra losing control of her powers._

 _An image of Slade himself._

 _Terra smiling evilly, half of her face covered._

 _"Everything okay?" Robin asked, touching Raven's shoulder._

 _"Can't tell," Raven admitted. "Are you sure it's safe to have her around?"_

 _"Not entirely," Robin answered. "But everyone deserves a second chance."_

 _Robin moved on while Raven remained behind, looking down in suspicion._

The scene changed again with a flash of white light.

 _Terra grunted and used her powers to lift a large rock from the city street to throw in the direction of an ongoing threat._

 _"No!" Raven said loudly, grabbing a hold of the rock with her magic._

 _"What are you doing?" Terra demanded._

 _"It's too dangerous!" Raven stated, exerting more power on the rock. "Someone could get hurt!"_

 _Raven drew the rock closer to herself and away from Terra._

 _"I know what I'm doing!" Terra insisted as she tried to draw the stone back._

 _The two struggled for control as the rock started to crack and crumble from the_

 _pull of both Terra's power and Raven's magic._

 _"Look out!" Robin warned from ahead of them_

 _The rock was suddenly blasted apart._

There was another white flash.

Terra found herself just inside the entrance of Titans Tower, but only the Titans were present.

 _The Titans looked heartbroken, betrayed, and defeated. They each sat in separate areas of the room._

" _I should have blasted her when I had the chance," Cyborg growled from a chair, using tweezers to pull rock shards from his mechanical arm._

 _"I should have hit her with everything I've **got** ," Raven said vehemently from the doorway._

" _Why did I permit her to fool me again?" Starfire asked sadly, almost to herself as she sat upon the stairs._

 _"Why couldn't we take her down just like any other criminal?" Robin asked as he leaned up against the wall._

 _"Because, she's not just another criminal," Beast Boy said sadly. "She's Terra. She was a Titan. She was… our friend."_

 _"She was **never** our friend," Raven said sharply, turning to Beast Boy. "She was a **liar** and a **spy** trained by Slade and sent to destroy us. She is **evil**. Always has been, always will be."_

There was yet another flash of white light, and Terra found herself in a large room that was beginning to flood with water from broken pipes.

 _Raven stood over a circuit card in the middle of the room. "What is your mission?" the Titan asked as the water around her turned muddy. "Why are you—"_

 _Raven found herself blasted against the far wall by the muddy waters._

 _" **Hello**?" somebody called from across the room. "Does the word ' **decoy** ' mean anything to you?"_

 _Terra, now dressed in grey boots, wrappings, and armor that held Slade's symbol on her chest, walked forward as her long hair covered her right eye. With each step, the mud parted for her, leaving her armor clean._

 _"I had to find some way **coax** you cowards out of hiding," Terra said as the circuit card flew into the air with a burst of electricity and disappeared._

 _Raven rose to her feet. " **Terra** ," she said as her hands lit up with magic._

 _"Raven."_

 _" **Traitor**."_

 _" **Witch** ," Terra said, glowing yellow._

 _The two engaged in a fast-paced and intense battle, using their powers, physical prowess, intellect, and environment to their full effect. Soon, both were muddied. Eventually, Terra disappeared following a large explosion._

 _Raven looked around for a moment before being slammed into the ground by a mallet made of mud that had formed behind her. Raven sat up as Terra slowly rose out of the pooling muddy water._

 _"You know, Raven," Terra said coldly. "I never liked you."_

 _"I never even wanted to **know** you," Raven said as she stood. Terra started lazily brushing herself off as Raven continued. "You may have fooled the others, but I always knew you were **liar**."_

 _"Oh really?" Terra said with a smile. She raised her glowing right hand and the mud started to detach itself from her body and form into a ball in midair. "Is that why you let me live in your house, and steal all your secrets, and—"_

 _"Shut up!" Raven snapped, her eyes and hands glowing as she sent a wave of muddy water in Terra's direction._

 _Terra merely let the wave wash over her, using her hand to spread the mud apart at the last second. Then, she grabbed the muddy water that was still pouring from the pipes and sent it in Raven's direction._

 _Raven put up a shield but was unprepared for the lines of water when they moved around the obstacle and slammed her back to the ground._

 _Terra held her hand up and the small ball of mud hovered in the air above her palm._

 _"Good, Terra," said a voice in Terra's earpiece. "You know her weakness. Exploit it."_

 _Terra smiled and levitated herself into the air on a stone platform. The ball of mud started to circle around her. "Not getting mad, **are** you Ray?" Terra taunted. "Oh, better be careful. Beast Boy told me all about your temper tantrums."_

 _The ball of mud reformed itself into the shape of Raven's head._

 _"Anger is pointless," Raven said evenly from a kneeled position. "My emotions are under control."_

 _"Eh, meh, meh. Anger is pointless," Terra mocked, as the mud in the shape of Raven's head opened and closed its mouth with the last three words. The head stretched and then dissolved into nothing as Terra continued. "And you're calling **me** a liar?"_

 _Raven ran forward with a grunt and attempted to fly only to have a muddy hand martialize from the water and pull her to the ground. Raven slowly rose to her hands and knees._

 _"Come on, Raven," Terra said as rocks and a ramp rose from the mud, allowing Terra to walk down toward the Titan. "What stings the most? That I **tricked** you? That I nearly **wiped** out your team?_

 _Rock began to form around a kneeling Raven, trapping her in place._

 _Terra knelt to Raven's level with her hands on her knees. "That everyone liked **'me' better** than you?"_

 _"Stop it!" Raven snapped, her eyes clamped shut._

 _Terra leaned forward as she continued. "Or is it that deep down inside, you really believed I was your friend?"_

 _Raven looked up, now sporting four red eyes. As she rose, the rock holding her crumbled and black flames rose over her as she stood, extending her height by three times her normal size._

 _With a roar, Raven grabbed all the loose rocks that had only seconds ago held her captive and launched them at Terra with her magic._

 _"I **trusted** you!" Raven shouted with multiple voices as Terra created a platform to move herself away from the projectiles. " **We** trusted you!" _

_Terra's visible eye widened with shock as she started dodging everything that Raven could throw in her direction._

 _"We gave your **everything** and you treated us like **dirt**!" Raven continued, now using nearby machinery in attempts to trap or crush Terra._

 _Terra dodged once more, slammed up against the back wall, and created a small outcropping of rock to stand on. She raised her hands as Raven slid forward, still in her elongated form. Gigantic muddy hands rose from the water and grabbed Raven around the chest and shoulders, stopping her mere feet from Terra._

 _Terra, her visible eye filled with both shock and fear, created more hands to grab Raven from behind._

 _"Finish her," said a menacing voice through Terra's earpiece._

 _Terra smirked and allowed the hands to grab a struggling Raven and slowly drag her back into the water._

 _Raven grunted in exertion._

 _"Who's in control **now**?" Terra asked quietly._

 _Raven's four eyes disappeared, replaced by a look of shock and fear as she was slowly dragged into the muddy depths and out of sight._

The present-day Terra gasped as the white light flashed again. She found herself trembling in fear and shock.

Suddenly there was darkness.

 _"No more **chances** ," Cyborg's voice growled in the darkness._

 _"No more **trust** ," Starfire added, using her powers to illuminate the surviving Titans in the darkness._

 _"And no more **mercy** ," Raven finished._

 _"She's just another **criminal** ," Beast Boy said coldly._

 _"And we're going to **stop** her," Robin said as Starfire raised her glowing hand, illuminating him as well. "No matter what it takes."_

There was another flash of white light and Terra shut her eyes, hoping that the flashes would end. "Stop!" she shouted.

But the memories… _her_ memories had no intention of ending.

When she opened her eyes again, Terra found herself surrounded by a white mist in an abandoned city. Unlike all the other flashes, Raven was nowhere in sight. Terra saw herself moving down the street standing atop of a rock platform, surrounded by large mechs.

 _"Well, we did it," Terra said, gazing at Titans Tower in the distance with her glowing hands clasped behind her back and her hair covering her right eye. "They're really gone."_

 _Within seconds, the mechs disappeared, pulled away by black magic or destroyed by explosive discs and sonic blasts._

 _Terra found herself on the ground._

 _"Apprentice, report!" a voice in her earpiece said._

 _Terra grunted and turned on the ground. "I don't—"_

 _The silhouettes of Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Robin appeared through the mist._

 _"No!" Terra said. "I **destroyed** you! You're all…"_

 _At the urge of the voice in her ear, Terra attacked but hit nothing except an abandoned vehicle._

 _Terra rose to her feet, following the sounds of footsteps in the mist. Suddenly she was hit from behind and fell to the ground. She tried to rise again and found herself blasted with green energy from the right._

 _The silhouettes of Raven and Beast Boy appeared, walking toward her. Terra attempted to raise herself in the air only to have the pillar of rock get destroyed underneath her and she hit the ground, landing on one knee while stopping her slide with a palm._

 _Robin's silhouette appeared as the Titan jumped and threw multiple smoke bombs in Terra's direction. Terra was able to block the smoke bombs with a stone wall that sprouted from the ground before being thrown off her feet yet again by sonic blast._

 _Even with her anger and the voice in her earpiece, Terra was unable to fight back against the onslaught of attacks. As she rose from the ground again on a rock platform, a silhouette of a wolf appeared from her left just before she was thrown to the street._

 _Terra looked up from a kneeling position as the wolf advanced, growling menacingly._

 _"Beast Boy," Terra said, her voice quivering with fear as her hair parted slightly, showing both her eyes. "Beast Boy! Stop! Aren't you even going to talk to me?"_

 _"There's nothing left to say," Cyborg said as his silhouette appeared to her right._

 _"You attempted to **annihilate** us!" Starfire said as her silhouette landed behind Terra._

 _"You didn't think we'd take it **personally**?" Raven asked as her and Robin's silhouette appeared as well._

 _"It's **over** , Terra," Robin said firmly._

 _Terra looked around as Beast Boy's silhouette appeared beside Cyborg. The Titans, her former friends, now surrounded her on all sides. But they were no longer her friends. She had betrayed them. And now, she was the enemy, frozen in shock as Beast Boy's menacing growls continued to echo in her ears despite his return to human form._

The real Terra looked away as her own emotions, both past and present took over. A single tear fell from her eye. She jumped when a hand grabbed her shoulder.

Terra turned to see the real Raven standing behind her, looking down in sadness.

"Terra…" Raven said softly.

Terra backed away as she looked around, speaking frantically. "Get— get me out of here!"

"Terra," Raven said again.

"Now!"

Raven nodded and Terra found herself on the floor of Raven's bedroom, breathing heavily. Raven stood, slowly offering Terra a hand. Terra backed away on the ground until her back hit the door behind her.

"Why— why would you show me that?" Terra asked, her voice quivering. "Is that who I _was_? Is that who I _am_? I tried to… You _knew_ who I was… what I am. Why did you bother brining me here? Why bring me to the Tower?"

"Terra, you need to listen to me," Raven said quickly.

"I can't!" Terra said, her hands and eyes starting to glow. "I need to be alone! I—"

"Okay," Raven said, using her powers to keep Terra's from shaking the Tower. "Okay, but I need to explain—"

Terra shook her head, grabbed her backpack, and quickly opened the door, running down the hall and past Beast Boy.

…

Raven walked out of her room as Beast Boy called down the hall.

"Terra!" the green Titan called. "Wait, where—"

But Terra was already gone and out of sight.

Beast Boy slowly turned and saw Raven standing in the doorway.

"What happened?" Beast Boy demanded. He motioned down the hallway. "One minute she's happy and the next—"

"She need's space," Raven said.

"What was she doing in your room?" Beast Boy asked sharply.

Raven looked down for a moment. "I took her into my mind. I wanted to show her something."

"You took her into your _mind_?" Beast Boy snapped, advancing on Raven. "That's not exactly the easiest place to be. What were you two doing in there?"

"I was trying to help her!" Raven snapped. "I wanted her to see—"

"You let her see what happened when she joined Slade, didn't you?" Beast Boy interrupted. "I thought we agreed that we would wait."

"She needed to see some of the good she'd done," Raven argued. "But things got out of control and now—"

"Now she's scared!" Beast Boy said. He held up a finger. "Because _you_ had to show her she was something that she's not."

"And how are _you_ any different?" Raven asked, keeping her voice even.

"I'm different because I _care_ ," Beast Boy said. He turned around and started walking away. "You _never_ liked her. You _never_ cared."

Raven's eyes narrowed and her hands started to glow.

Beast Boy found himself being turned around as his chest glowed black. "Hey—"

Raven waved her arm and black energy appeared over Beast Boy's mouth. Beast Boy turned into an ant-eater only to have the gag close around his long nose. He tried the same with an elephant and had no success.

"I let her into my _home_!" Raven said loudly, walking toward Beast Boy as the walls around them glowed with black energy.

Beast Boy resumed his human form and froze, his eyes narrowed in anger.

Raven continued. "She _betrayed_ us!"

Beast Boy didn't move.

Raven stopped in front of Beast Boy. "And even after that, I forgave her!" she said, her voice still raised. "I searched for a cure to her stone coma for _months_! I had _your_ back when you wanted to bring her here. And _I'm_ trying to _train_ her!"

The gag on Beast Boy disappeared but he said nothing.

"I gave her some of _my_ powers for _her_ memory device!" Raven said. "I let her into _my_ mind and _you_ think I don't _care_?"

Beast Boy's angry gaze faltered for a moment before he turned away, looking at the wall.

Raven sighed. The walls ceased their glowing as she spoke just above a whisper. "You're not the only one who lost a friend the day Terra saved the city, Garfield."

"I know," Beast Boy said softly. "I'm sorry, Ray."

"You _know_ me," Raven said quietly. "You _know_ that all this isn't easy for me. I'm doing this the only way that I know how. But I think that Terra will need to figure some of this out on her own."

"That doesn't mean we can't help her," Beast Boy said, looking at the floor.

"You're right," Raven agreed.

Beast Boy nodded and slowly turned back to Raven. "What did Robin want earlier while we were training."

Raven took a deep breath and turned away. "The League needs me."

Raven felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned.

Beast Boy gave her a supportive smile. "When?"

"Soon," Raven answered.

…

Terra stopped running and found herself at the doorway to the roof. She typed in the code and got an error message. Terra shook her head and typed in the code correctly, before pushing the door open.

Terra walked out into the cool night air and looked at the partly-cloudy sky above and the portals that littered it. The rain had stopped. Terra took a deep breath and the dirt that she'd gathered running through the Tower fell to the ground.

Terra rubbed her eyes, trying to get the memories she'd seen out of her head. _What am I doing here?_

Terra turned and jumped when she saw Red X kneeling beside the door.

Red X simply stared at her.

Terra stared back, then relaxed as she realized that the thief's chest was rising and falling rhythmically. He was asleep.

Terra gulped and slowly walked around Red X, looking at the wall beside the door.

The wall was covered with pictures of prominent city locations, portal sites, Slade, and even Terra herself. There were strings connecting the various pictures to newspaper articles that were pinned up beside the collage.

A picture of Terra was connected to Slade and in turn was connected to a newspaper clipping regarding emergency evacuations following attacks from a being who could seemingly make the ground her weapon.

Terra let out another breath and turned away. She looked at the city beyond.

"Terra?" somebody called from down the stairs.

Terra slowly looked back at the sleeping Red X before walking to the edge of the roof. She tentatively raised her hand. Far below, a circular platform raised itself from the ground and rose to meet her.

Terra took a breath, slowly walked onto the platform, and sighed, allowing it to guide her shakily across the water and to the distant city. She stumbled slightly when she eventually got off the platform and started walking.

Terra eventually found herself at a high school football field. She walked under the bleachers, listening to the crowd talking above her.

Terra sat down and slowly closed her eyes, attempting to figure out what to do next. She was ripped from her thoughts as somebody screamed and two football players flew past the bleachers.

Terra stood and looked at the field through the bleachers.

There was a tall man with black hair standing in the middle of the field. He was wearing large red armor that made him seem far more muscular than his skinny, helmet covered face would imply.

Upon closer inspection, Terra realized that the armor seemed to be made of metal plating that could be found on cars. The joints that kept the armor together were silver and moved fluidly as a large being threw what was left of the football players off the field.

"Is that all you got, wimps?" the giant shouted as people continued to flee. "C'mon, give me _one_ athlete who can stand up to the mighty Adonis!"

Terra moved out from under the cover of the bleachers and stopped as people continued to flee past her. _Just get out of here, Terra._ Terra looked at her hands for a moment before letting out a breath and turning toward the danger, dropping her backpack to the ground.

Adonis moved to the sidelines at the opposite end of the field and grabbed a large football player.

"Hey, dirtbag!"

The red-armored giant turned to see Terra stepping forward onto the center of the field.

Adonis let the football player go.

The athlete hit the ground and started to run.

"Really?" Adonis sneered, looking Terra up and down. " _You_?"

"Try _us_."

Terra looked over as Jinx appeared beside her.

Jinx gave Terra a smile. "I got your back," the Titan said.

Terra gave Jinx an appreciative smile.

Adonis shook his head with a smile as he moved to stand next to a bench on the sideline. "You two _girls_ think you can stand up to this?" he asked, motioning to his muscular form.

"I hate guys like these," Terra muttered under her breath, thinking about some of the boys at her school.

"I know, right?" Jinx replied.

"How about this?" Adonis said, placing a hand on the bench. "You two can be my own personal cheerleaders."

"I think I'll pass," Terra spat in disgust.

"Me too," Jinx added.

"Okay then," Adonis grunted.

Adonis ripped the bench off the ground and threw it in Terra and Jinx's direction. Terra raised her hand instinctively and tore a large piece of sloping rock, the largest she'd made since rediscovering her powers, from the ground and used it to block the bench.

The bench veered off course and hit the scoreboard above the bleachers behind her, causing it to fall and break the seating below.

Jinx looked at Terra and nodded. "You mind if I take a shot at this guy alone?" the Titan asked.

Terra nodded, still in awe of the way she'd just used her powers.

Jinx ran up the rock formation that Terra had created and jumped off its point as Adonis charged onto the field.

Terra walked around the rock ramp to watch the battle.

Jinx hit Adonis with a kick to the chest and used the momentum to backflip to the ground. Landing with one hand on the ground, Jinx spun and ducked under a blow from Adonis' arm before punching the knee joint of the giant's right leg.

With a flash of pink energy, the silver joint imploded, causing Adonis to kneel to the ground. Terra instinctively stepped back as Adonis swiped at Jinx with a left backhand. Jinx's reflexes, however, were not fast enough. The Titan was swiped off her feet and she rolled painfully to the ground.

Terra gasped and took a step forward.

"That was it?" Adonis taunted. He stood over Jinx, who was just getting to her hands and knees. "You barely put up a fight! Even the girls on the _first_ Titans' team were feistier than you! How you even passed the basic training of the Titan's incredibly low standards is beyond me!"

Jinx rolled onto her back with a small smile.

Adonis clasped his fists and raised his arms over Jinx.

Just before Adonis' blow impacted, a blanket of rock appeared over Jinx, taking the blow and leaving the Titan unharmed.

Adonis turned to face Terra as she lowered her arms.

Terra froze for a moment. _What do I do?_ She closed her eyes and thought about everything she'd learned that day. _My training with Beast Boy and Raven. Keep it basic._

Adonis charged.

Terra placed her hands on the ground and summoned as much of the mud that was left over from the rain as she could. As the mud rose into the air, Terra pointed it toward the ruptured joint on Adonis' right knee.

Adonis stumbled to the ground as the mud penetrated the gap in his armor. Terra bravely stepped forward, clasping her hands together before spreading them apart. Adonis gasped as the mud between his body and the armor spread to the rest of his limbs before expanding.

With a series of loud crunches and clanging, the armor popped off Adonis' body, leaving behind a skinny man with no real muscle whatsoever. Terra slowly lowered her hands as they stopped glowing.

Adonis looked up at her with wonder.

"Yo, macho-man!" Jinx said, walking up to Adonis from behind. "Maybe you can be _our_ cheerleader."

Terra smiled.

Adonis looked between Terra and Jinx before attempting to make a run for it.

Jinx rolled her eyes and flicked her wrist, causing Adonis to trip and fall to the ground. Terra watched as Adonis just moaned and groaned.

"Did you and Beast Boy happen to practice cages?" Jinx asked Terra as police sirens blared in the distance.

Terra took a deep breath and raised her hands. While unable to make the cage work, she _was_ able to create a snug blanket over the wannabe athlete, trapping him in place.

"That works too," Jinx said in admiration. She turned to Terra. "Not bad, schoolgirl."

Terra nodded and looked at Adonis. _If I can do this… no. No, I can't do this. Not after everything that I've done. Maybe it's best if I just… I don't know._

Terra looked up to see several police officers arriving. The officers looked at the earth surrounding Adonis and then at Terra.

Terra slowly broke apart the blanket of dirt keeping Adonis in place.

The officers looked at her suspiciously.

"She's with me," Jinx said firmly.

The officers slowly nodded before grabbing Adonis.

"Thanks," Terra said to Jinx, relaxing.

"You say that as if you didn't just save me from Adonis," Jinx said. She motioned to the entrance to the field. "Let's go home."

"I don't think that I should call the Tower my home," Terra said. She shook her head. "Not now, anyway."

"Do you still want to work on controlling these powers?" Jinx asked.

"Yeah, but…" Terra chuckled. "I just…"

"You at least need a place to stay for the night," Jinx said. "All your stuff is there."

Terra's stomach rumbled.

"And you need to eat," Jinx said. "Trust me, Titans Tower has got some good food. Much better than H.I.V.E.'s anyway. Just… stay away from anything blue."

"Food does sound good," Terra admitted.

Jinx nodded and turned away.

"How'd you know I was here?" Terra asked as they started moving to the field's exit.

"I didn't," Jinx said. She looked around at the empty bleachers. "But the fact that you were still around when _I_ got here says something."

"Yeah?" Terra asked. "What's that?"

"You can be a hero," Jinx answered. "If want to."

Terra nodded again and stopped, remembering the smile on Jinx's face as Adonis raised his arms for the final blow.

Terra looked Jinx in the eye. "Did you lose to that jerk on purpose?" she asked the Titan.

Jinx smiled evilly and continued walking without offering an answer.

Terra looked at the broken scoreboard and bleachers as they reached the exit. "Do you think we should repair this before we leave. This was sorta my bad."

Jinx thought for a moment, then shrugged and grabbed her communicator. "Alright, show-off. You're up."

"Show-off?" Terra asked.

There was a series of crunches and clanks. Terra looked up to see the scoreboard reattaching itself to the wall in a flash of yellow and red right before the bleachers undented themselves.

The yellow and red blur flew between Jinx and Terra and the ground of the football field ground seemingly repaired itself before the blur flew past them again.

Terra took a step back to balance herself and found a thin, light flower with neon blue peddles in her hand.

There was a note attached to the flower.

This is a Lakespur (Delphinium). Pretty flower for a pretty girl.

P.S. All the good ones come from the dark.

The note was signed with a lightning bolt.

Terra looked between the note and the flower in confusion before turning to Jinx.

Jinx was looking at a rose in her hand.

Terra shook her head. "I think this is meant for you," she said, holding the flower out to Jinx.

Jinx looked at the flower and shook her head. "No…" she said with a sigh. "No, Terra, it's for you. He gets… enthusiastic with some of the superhero ladies."

Terra held the flower out to Jinx again. "No way! Are you kidding?" she exclaimed. "I'm not going to accept a flower from a guy who doesn't even stop to talk to me!"

Jinx took a step back in surprise. Then she smiled again and took the flower. "Terra… I really hope you decide to stick around," she said sincerely, grabbing Terra's backpack and handing it to her.

…

Red X looked at the central monitor in Titans Tower, watching live news footage of Jinx and Terra walking away from a football field with Adonis being carted away behind them. Red X looked at the pair, tapping the Communicator on his belt.

…

A while later, Raven and Beast Boy stood on the roof of Titans Tower, watching as Jinx and Terra walked up to the front door.

Beast Boy turned into a hawk.

"Wait," Raven said, stopping Beast Boy as his bird form stopped and glanced at her. The cloaked Titan nodded toward Jinx and Terra. "This could be good for them."

…

Terra stopped at the elevator with Jinx, swallowing the last piece of a large loaf of bread.

"Wow," Jinx said, swallowing an energy bar. "Your file was accurate. You really are dangerous when it comes to food."

Terra looked down in embarrassment. "Sorry. At the orphanage… well I don't get to splurge often," she explained. Terra looked down for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Is it weird that I'm craving sushi and ice cream?"

"It's totally fine," Jinx promised. She motioned to the elevator. "You want me to show you to your room?"

"I'm not really that tired," Terra admitted.

"Training room it is, then," Jinx said. She hit a button to summon the elevator. "So the mud expansion and the rock shield… is that what you were practicing with Beast Boy."

"Sort of," Terra said.

"Sort of?"

"This device that Raven and Fixit gave me," Terra said. She considered mentioning the journey into Raven's mind but decided differently. "Well, I guess experiencing the powers in my memories makes it easier to use them _now_."

"Cool," Jinx said.

The elevator door opened, and they walked inside.

Jinx hit a button to bring them to the training room. "I'd normally call that cheating but considering you learned to use your powers a long time ago, I think I'll give you a pass."

The doors to the elevator opened.

Terra set down her backpack and they started to walk through the training area.

"So you never told me how we knew each other," Terra said to Jinx.

"Do you remember anything about the Tournament of Heroines?" Jinx asked.

"No," Terra answered.

"That's because it never happened," Jinx said. She sighed. "I was still in H.I.V.E. when you were with the Titans the first time around. The boys were sucked into an alternate dimension where they were pitted against other superheroes to see who was the best."

Terra raised an eyebrow. "Sounds…"

"Yeah, it was a trap," Jinx confirmed lightly. "But the Titans made some good friends that day. Myself, unfortunately, was not included. But someone got confused and my old friend Gizmo got taken while he was moaning and groaning about a new invention that wasn't working. So at least the timing worked out."

"What happened?" Terra asked.

"Well the boys dealt with the… Master of Games I think he called himself, and then it was our turn."

"Tournament of Heroines," Terra guessed.

"Yeah," Jinx said. "For some reason, I was on the list of heroines."

"So did we…" Terra looked down. "Did I…"

"No," Jinx said. "There was never even a match."

"How'd we get out?"

"Well, I was all for it," Jinx admitted. "I never backed down when it came to a fight or a little bit of exercise. But the Titans… well, you guys had other opinions."

"Raven doesn't seem like the type to enter any contests," Terra said.

"She's not," Jinx replied they neared a control panel. "Starfire said she didn't want to fight needlessly, especially not with her friends, and Raven called it, and I quote, 'pointless'."

"What did _I_ think?" Terra asked.

Jinx smiled slightly as she hit a few buttons on the control panel. "You supported your team and your friends. The Master of Games tried to insist upon the tournament and you, in turn, started to bring down the entire dimension."

"Yikes," Terra said.

"Yeah," Jinx said with a chuckle. "Well, even though I would never admit it to anyone but present company, I wasn't exactly thrilled with my odds if you and I got matched up. The Master of Games must have had similar thinking because seconds later, I was back at the H.I.V.E. Academy."

"That's it?" Terra asked after a few seconds of silence. "That's why you trust me? Because I almost brought down a dimension?"

"I had more respect for _you_ and _your_ team then I did my own," Jinx answered. She hit a button and a message appeared on the control panel's screen.

Training Module 6: Confirmed

"Intact memories or not," Jinx continued. "That kind of loyalty doesn't disappear. Not forever."

Terra looked around the room thoughtfully.

"Alright," Jinx said, looking around as various machines came to life. "I set up a combat module. It's pretty basic, but it's enough to give you a bit of exercise and it should encourage more of that creative thinking that I saw earlier with Adonis."

"Okay," Terra said, taking a couple of breaths. "Will it hurt if I, you know, fail?"

"Not as much as it would hurt when fighting supervillains."

"Let's do it," Terra said.

…

Fixit looked at a monitor in his room and pulled up a camera feed of the training room. _A training module has been activated._

Fixit observed the trainees. _Titan Jinx is supporting Titan Terra in training. Odds of danger… minimal. I shall let this training run its course and remain on standby._

Fixit turned off the monitor and plugged himself into a charging station.

…

An hour later, Terra and Jinx sat down together, wiping sweat off their brows.

"Yeah…" Jinx said, watching the machines start to repair themselves. "I'm _really_ glad you and I didn't ever have to go at it."

"I would have lost," Terra said with certainty.

"Not by much," Jinx mumbled as one of the machines expelled a large pile of dirt. "Maybe if I had some backup…"

Terra nodded and looked over to see Jinx fiddling with a lightning bolt necklace around her neck.

"Was that from your boyfriend?" Terra asked.

"He gave it to me the night the portals appeared," Jinx said with a nod. "I haven't really had the chance to talk to him since. Fast movers have been comin' in real handy these days."

"I bet," Terra said quietly. She stood and stretched, trying to brush off her clothes. "I don't think I've ever been so dirty in my life."

"Feels good after a hard day's work," Jinx said, standing as well. "Doesn't it?"

"I guess," Terra said. She looked at the time on a nearby control panel. It was close to eleven at night. "Right now, though, I wouldn't say no to a tub."

"I can help with that," Jinx said simply.

"If you could lead the way, that would be awesome," Terra said gratefully.

Jinx placed a hand behind her back and flicked her wrist.

Terra turned as a nearby hose sparked with pink energy and burst apart before completely dousing her with water. Terra gasped and turned as water and dirt dripped off her body. She then turned to Jinx.

Jinx smiled mischievously. "Clean enough?"

Terra raised her own hands and created a large ball of mud that got bigger and bigger.

"Okay…" Jinx said as her eyes widened somewhat. She took a step back. "So umm… I think we'll just call this a draw and—woah!"

Jinx dove to the ground as the ball of soft mud flew forward and hit the wall behind her, splattering her with mud.

"Dirty enough?" Terra asked with a smile of her own.

Jinx raised an eyebrow and flicked her wrist again. A nearby machine started throwing small, ball shaped bean-bags in Terra's direction.

Terra ducked and created a curving ramp that redirected the bean-bags back in Jinx's direction. Jinx sent rays of energy into the machine behind her, which activated more hoses that sent the bean-bags careening off course.

…

Kneeling within the metal rafters of the training room. Red X watched as the two young women ran further into the training rooming, laughing and giggling as they continued their fun.

…

Terra laughed again as she sent mud flying in Jinx's direction.

Jinx ducked behind a large line of machines and waved her hand in the direction of a large outlet.

The outlet shorted out, causing Terra to lose Jinx in the temporary darkness before the emergency lights illuminated the back of the room with white and yellow light. Terra stopped and listened, still smiling. She turned and spotted Jinx's shadow crossing into the light.

Terra gasped as a brief glimpse of a memory flashed through her mind. Jinx's shadow ran out of the light and the next shadow that appeared was that of Slade's.

Terra's eyes widened as the emotions that came with the continued memory flashes drifted into her mind.

 _Determination._

 _Anger._

 _Fear._

 _Terra was in a mine illuminated by white and yellow light, currently hunting, or being hunted, by Slade_.

Terra slammed her eyes shut, seeing Slade in her mind. When she opened them again, they were bright yellow.

Terra screamed.

"Terra?" Jinx called in a concerned voice. "Terra, are you okay?"

The ground all around them started to shake as Terra fell to her knees.

Rock started to fall from the ceiling and began to swirl around them. The machines started to spark and explode as they sunk into the ground.

"I can't control it!" Terra shouted, wrapping her hands around her head as her powers started to tear her world apart. She looked at the Titan desperately. "Jinx…"

"I'm here!" Jinx said, running to Terra. "It's okay!"

The ceiling started to collapse as large rocks fell from above and the walls around them started to implode.

"Jinx," Terra said again, her voice quivering. "I— I can't stop it!"

"You can!" Jinx insisted, grabbing Terra's shoulders. "You just need to—"

Terra shouted as she started to rise into the air. She looked at Jinx as a tear rolled down her cheek "Jinx, run!"

 ** _TO BE CONTINUED_**


	11. Next Week on Ep:6 of Teen Titans Dawn

**Next Week on Teen Titans Dawn…**

My name is Terra…

And I am capable of many things…

…

"You don't get it," Terra said quietly. She let out a breath and turned away, looking at the ocean. "You're not like me. You don't have a dark side."

…

Terra stood on the rock platform as she floated high above Titans Tower, watching the moon as it bathed her in light.

Terra looked around, attempting to count the portals in sight. She looked down at her hands. _I can't just abandon the world. Titan or not._

…

"Where are we going?" Terra asked.

"Markovia," Raven answered.

Red X looked at them from the lead pod as the T-ship finished its rotation. "Get in."

…

Beast Boy sighed. "When you… when things went bad between us, I wasn't the friend I should have been for you," he said softly. "I'm sorry. But… everyone has a dark side."

…

A group of bats fluttered from the ceiling, drawing the group's gaze for a moment. When they looked forward, a man sat on the throne of Markovia.

"Slade," Terra whispered.

Slade slowly stood. "Welcome home, Terra. I've been waiting."

…

"It isn't about whether or not you have the darkness," Beast Boy continued. "It's about what you do with the darkness that counts."

…

Terra stopped struggling. Seconds later, her eyes opened and began to glow bright yellow.


	12. Episode VI: Terra Part II

My name is Terra…

And I am capable of many things…

Manipulation of mud…

Manipulation of concrete…

Manipulation of stone…

Manipulation of earth…

I have the power to manipulate the planet itself…

This morning, I was just a schoolgirl…

Tonight, I was a superhero…

Right now… I don't know who I am…

All I know for sure, is that my life is out of my control…

…

The ceiling started to collapse as large rocks fell from above and the walls around them started to implode.

"Jinx," Terra said, her voice quivering. "I— I can't stop it!"

"You can!" Jinx insisted, grabbing Terra's shoulders. "You just need to—"

Terra screamed as she started to rise into the air. She looked at Jinx as a tear rolled down her cheek "Jinx, run!"

Terra gasped again as her memories continued to flash.

 _Terra was wearing the same clothes she'd had when first meeting the Titans. She knelt to the ground with her hands around her head as her shattered goggles hung across her chest. Rocks and dust started to spin around her, trapping Terra within her own power._

 _Outside the destruction that Terra was creating, Slade stood with his hands held out to the side._

 _"Don't lose control!" Terra told herself. "Don't lose control!"_

 _"Now, Terra," Slade said in a voice that chilled Terra to the bone. "How do you **lose** something you never **had**?"_

Terra screamed as the fear of Slade and her own memories influenced her powers in the present.

…

Red X stood from his position in the rafters of the training room as large rocks started to detach themselves from the ground and swirl around both Jinx and Terra.

Red X shot adhesive into the ceiling and jumped, quickly grabbing Jinx and swinging them both out of Terra's range as two rocks collided where Jinx's head had been a moment before.

Jinx shakily rose to her feet, looking back at Terra, who was now barely visible through the swirling dust and debris.

Red X turned as well, taking a split second to examine the situation.

"I gotta get back there!" Jinx said quickly.

Red X blocked her path as the ground a few feet from them began to break apart. "You can't."

"It's my fault, X!" Jinx shouted.

"It's not your fault," Red X said firmly.

A raven made of magic materialized out of the floor behind them. The raven opened its wings and Raven, Beast Boy, and Fixit stepped forward.

"Fixit, take Jinx!" Red X ordered. "Raven, get them out of here!"

Beast Boy turned into a mouse and ran into the swirling dirt and stone.

"Beast Boy!" Jinx shouted.

Fixit quickly grabbed Jinx as she stepped forward, yanking her into his arms.

Raven looked at Red X.

Red X nodded.

Raven nodded in return.

"No!" Jinx shouted.

Raven teleported herself, Fixit, and a still struggling Jinx away.

…

 _Terra rose high into the air as the earth swirling around her created a tornado._

 _"I'll be waiting," Slade said as he walked away._

…

Beast Boy slipped through the first wave of debris as Terra came into sight. "Terra!" he called.

Terra didn't react. She was shaking in midair, her eyes clamped shut.

Beast Boy turned into a bear as more rocks flew toward him. With a roar, he bashed two large rocks aside with his paws and used his claw to slash through a third. Beast Boy resumed his human form and called out to Terra again.

Still, Terra didn't respond.

There was another gust of wind and Beast Boy turned to see a large piece of rock coming straight at him. Just before the rock impact with his chest, it was ripped out of the twister. Beast Boy turned and saw the silhouette of Red X through the storm.

The thief was braced between two machines, his Xenothium adhesive still attached to the large piece of rock.

"Get her!" Red X shouted.

Beast Boy turned and jumped to Terra.

"Terra!"

…

Terra opened her eyes as somebody shouted her name.

Beast Boy was in the middle of the tornado that Terra herself had created. Beast Boy reached out but missed and he continued to fly around her.

Terra closed her eyes as one last memory flashed.

 _Terra looked over as somebody grabbed her shoulder. Beast Boy was there, now holding her left hand with his right while reaching out for her with his other hand._

As she returned to the present, Terra knew what to do. She reached forward and grabbed Beast Boy's hands with her own as he came around again.

"I'm right here!" Beast Boy shouted. "You can control this!"

"I… I know," Terra whispered. She let out her breath and sudden calm washed over her.

The debris stopped spinning and dirt and stone slowly fell from the air.

Terra and Beast Boy lowered to the ground.

Terra slowly let go of Beast Boy's hand and looked around the now completely destroyed training room. _This… this is who I am… That's not going to change. No matter how hard I try. I am destruction._

Terra and Beast Boy stood as Raven reappeared with the remaining Titans.

Jinx ran up to Terra. "I'm so sorry, Terra!" she said, reaching out for Terra.

Terra instinctively took a step back. "It's not your fault," Terra said quickly. "Your powers didn't do this."

"It's not your fault either," Jinx insisted. "But it's okay. We can help."

"Nobody can help me!" Terra snapped.

Jinx took a small step back.

Terra looked at the Titans as Red X moved to stand next to Jinx.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"I can't stay…" Terra whispered.

"Terra…" Beast Boy said.

Terra shook her head as a tear ran down her face. She grabbed her backpack and ran to the elevator as the Titans and Red X looked on.

…

 **There's new trouble. We know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **The old Titans, they can't stop it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **With all the evil on the attack,**

 **they won't rest until they got your back.**

 **The world will need more heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **Now a new team must come to the light…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Our world will surly perish if they don't unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **There's a path must be run.**

 **A path that leads straight to the dawn.**

 **'Cause without Titans, evil gains control…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **DAWN!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

"Who else would have you, my dear? You've done horrible things. Unforgivable things. Where else would you possibly go?"

– Slade to Terra. Season 2: Episode 13 "Aftershock pt. II."

…

 ** _"Terra Part II"_**

Terra walked toward the entrance to the Tower as Beast Boy ran in front of her in the form of a cheetah.

…

Jinx, Fixit, Raven, and Red X caught up a few seconds later.

Beast Boy started talking quickly as Terra looked away.

Fixit took a step toward Terra and Beast Boy before stopping himself. "I am unclear as to how to approach this situation," the cybernetic being said. He looked at Red X. "Perhaps, due to how unfamiliar I am to Terra as a person, I should choose the avoidance tactic and oversee our automatic repair system for the training room."

Red X shook his head and grabbed the side of Fixit's robes, whispering something in Fixit's ear.

Fixit slowly nodded. "That is… a logical endpoint to this current scenario. I shall begin preparations at once."

"Go," Red X said.

Jinx looked at Red X and raised an eyebrow.

"Later," Red X grunted.

Jinx slowly turned and looked at Raven. "I'm sorry," she told the cloaked Titan. "Terra and I… We were just having a bit of fun. I didn't mean—"

"I know," Raven said quietly. She motioned to Terra, who was shaking her head at Beast Boy. "So does she. And it wasn't your fault. I sensed her powers from my room."

"What does that mean?" Jinx asked.

"I'm not sure," Raven answered. "But what I can tell you is that this time, her powers were amplified by fear. And not just in the moment. The fear came from… somewhere else. _Someone_ else."

"Slade?" Jinx asked.

Raven didn't answer.

…

"Terra," Beast Boy said again. "I know I can't honestly say that I get everything you're going through, but—"

"You're right! You don't get it!" Terra snapped as they exited the Tower.

Beast Boy stopped in his tracks.

"You don't get it," Terra said quietly. She let out a breath and turned away, looking at the ocean. "You're not like me. You don't have a dark side."

Beast Boy morphed without another word.

Terra slowly turned and gasped.

Beast Boy, now his werebeast form, was twice Terra's size. He had long fur and a green mane outlined with black fur that stretched behind his head. His hands and feet were now enlarged with claws the size of average fingers. There were also black stripes along either side of his gigantic arms and two below either side of his ribcage. The fur on his elbows formed into sharp points.

Terra took a small step back in shock.

Beast Boy's face stretched into a light green beard. His ears were pointed. His face was outlined with black fur. There was also a large patch of black fur on his forehead. His eyes were white and expressionless. He was breathing hard and his two white fangs glistened in the moonlight.

Terra looked into his eyes for a moment as Beast Boy's overall expression softened and he lowered his gaze.

Terra slowly reached forward and touched one of Beast Boy's fangs.

Beast Boy resumed his human form.

Terra was now touching his cheek.

Beast Boy sighed. "When you… when things went bad between us, I wasn't the friend I should have been for you," he said softly. "I'm sorry. But… everyone has a dark side."

Terra looked away.

"It isn't about whether or not you have the darkness," Beast Boy continued. "It's about what you do with the darkness that counts."

Terra slowly lowered her hand. "I'm sorry too," she said softly. She turned away as a rock platform appeared below her. "I can't be who I was, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy gulped. "Where will you go?" he asked quietly.

"To summer school," Terra answered just as quietly. She looked at Titans Tower for a moment. "Anywhere but here. I'm done with powers. If I don't use them, I won't lose control again and then I won't destroy the world or go to… I just… I can't stay. I'm not good. I can't stay."

Beast Boy slowly nodded, speaking sadly. " _I_ think you're good. But either way… it's not my decision to make. It's yours. And if this is…" Beast Boy stopped speaking before turning away himself. "If this is goodbye… I hope you find what you're looking for."

Beast Boy turned into a hummingbird and flew off to the Tower.

…

Terra stood upon a floating platform for a full two minutes. _Why can't I just leave?_

"Are you going to go, or not?" someone asked impatiently from behind her.

Terra jumped and turned to see Red X leaning up against the side of the Tower, his arms folded.

Terra shook her head. "What do you want, Red X?"

"There's a nanoscopic tracker on my mask that I wouldn't mind being rid of," Red X answered. "But I guess neither of us are getting what we want today."

"Yeah? And what do _I_ want?" Terra challenged.

"Perspective."

"You're wrong. I've had enough perspective today to know that _this_ …" Terra motioned to the Tower. " _This_ is not me. I can't be a part of it."

Red X scoffed and shook his head. "You know, schoolgirl, we're not all that different," he said, unfolding his arms and walking forward. "We're both stuck in a position that we didn't exactly volunteer for. I'm a thief being forced into the role of the hero. And you're a schoolgirl who all of a sudden has superpowers and an interesting read of a past to go with them."

"What's your point?" Terra asked.

"I'm a thief. And you were Slade's apprentice," Red X said. "The difference between us is that I don't feel bad about anything I've done. And you do. Even if you don't remember everything."

Terra looked down thoughtfully.

Red X turned, walking away as he spoke. "I'd imagine for a former Titan, that's gotta count for something."

Terra waited until Red X disappeared. She looked at the starry night sky and raised herself into the air on the rock platform.

…

Red X walked down the long hallway inside the front door of the Tower.

The front doors slowly closed, leaving the room mostly dark.

Red X continued walking for a few seconds before stopping. "Need something?" he asked.

Jinx walked out of the shadows behind Red X as she spoke, folding her arms. "You know, X," the Titan said with a sly smile. "Sometimes, I think you care."

"I don't," Red X grunted, glancing to the side.

…

Terra stood on the rock platform as she floated high above Titans Tower, watching the moon as it bathed her in light.

Terra looked around, attempting to count the portals in sight. She looked down at her hands. _I can't just abandon the world. Titan or not._

Terra lowered her gaze to Titans tower. She spotted the final light, one located in Beast Boy's room, go out.

Terra sat down on the rock. _I can't do it alone. And I can't do it without figuring out… me._

Terra looked at the city. _I need answers. And I'm not going to get them in Jump City._

Terra slowly looked at Titans Tower again and at the floor to wall window that led to her old room.

Terra felt her breath catch in her throat as guilt crept into her mind. She looked at Beast Boy's room, finding that the she and the Terra from her memories had at least one thing in common. _I can trust him. He is safe._

Terra slowly glided to Beast Boy's room.

The window was open.

Terra glanced inside and saw that Beast Boy was fast asleep on the top of the bunk bed across from her, snoring loudly. The room itself was trashed with bits of food, magazines, video games, movies, and music scattered over the various dressers, cabinets and tables. Even the bottom of the bunkbed had various articles of clothing spread across it.

Terra smiled sadly. _Must be cool having that much room…_ She briefly thought of waking Beast Boy before deciding otherwise.

Terra yawned again. She thought for a moment before gliding a short distance from the Tower. She took a deep breath and raised one hand, slowly grabbing earth from far below and bringing it to her.

Using one hand to keep herself steady on the platform, Terra quietly created a large hammock and used mud encased in stone to attach it to the Tower above and below the window to Beast Boy's room.

Terra slowly walked into the hammock, set down her backpack, and settled in, getting comfortable. She yawned and rolled over. The loose dirt from the rock platform detached itself and slowly covered her, creating a soft blanket.

Terra rolled over and slowly closed her eyes, allowing the rest of the rock platform to drop safely to the ground below.

Soon, Terra was fast asleep.

…

On the roof of Titans Tower, Raven looked down at the resting Terra. Raven took a deep breath and grabbed the Titans Communicator from her belt, gazing at it thoughtfully.

…

Terra awoke from a nightmare, breathing hard. The dirt blanket fell away as she sat up. "The old man in shadow… my dream… the one who brought me to the orphanage," she said aloud with realization. "It was Slade."

The hammock shook beneath Terra as her fear at Slade's very name started to take over. "No," Terra said to herself firmly.

The hammock ceased its shaking as Terra forced herself to be calm. She looked up at the placement of the moon in the night sky. _It won't be dawn for another few hours._

Terra laid down and attempted to sleep some more but couldn't. The night sounds felt like they were amplified on loudspeakers. The loudest of these sounds was that of Beast Boy's snoring.

Terra rolled over several times. After a few seconds, she smiled and grabbed some earth from the ground far below and brought it up to her. She sat up and pointed in Beast Boy's direction.

The soil moved into Beast Boy's bedroom and floated over the Titan's head. Terra very slowly and quietly molded the earth and placed it snuggly on the bed around Beast Boy's head and neck to muffle his snoring. Terra made sure to leave several small holes around Beast Boy for breathing.

Terra sat back, staring up at the night sky. After a few minutes she sighed and grabbed her backpack, pulling out her completed drawing of the butterfly attempting to make its way out of a cocoon.

Terra looked at the moon for a moment before putting the picture away and grabbing a new piece of paper. For a time, she slowly worked on a new drawing. But the further she got, the stronger the images of Slade in her mind became.

Terra put the drawing away in frustration and allowed herself to focus on Slade. She closed her eyes and the image became stronger.

After a few seconds, Terra opened her eyes in determination. _If I can't confront him here, I can at least do it in my memories._

Terra pulled out the memory device and activated it, saying one word. "Slade."

 _Terra was sitting in a cave next to small fire. She blinked and suddenly Slade was sitting across from her._

 _Terra looked down and gulped. "You were right," she said softly. She looked at Slade. "Beast Boy lied. He told them. He told them I couldn't control my powers."_

 _Slade slowly nodded. "Betrayal, it seems, has the ability to bring about the greatest of revelations," he said calmly. "The Titans fear you, Terra. The world fears you."_

 _"I don't want that," Terra replied as she gazed into the fire._

 _"You should," Slade retorted. He leaned forward, grabbing a stick and shifting the logs to make the fire brighter. "Because with fear, comes respect. With respect, comes acceptance."_

 _Terra looked up from the fire._

 _Slade looked into her eyes. "And with acceptance, both from the world and from within ourselves, comes control. Do you still want control, Terra?"_

 _"More than anything," Terra admitted quietly._

 _"If you want this," Slade said. "Then you must come with me."_

 _Terra gulped for a moment, brushing her hair back. "All these things I've heard about you…" She looked Slade in the eye. "Why should I trust you?"_

 _Slade leaned forward again, slowly reaching over the fire. "Because, my child," he said, slowly untucking the hair next Terra's right ear and allowing it to drop over her face and cover her right eye. "I have never lied to you. And I never will."_

 _Terra allowed one tear to fall from her face, knowing that the same could not be said for the Titans. Even Beast Boy. Terra looked at Slade and slowly nodded._

A muffled voice echoed through the cave, but the Other Terra and Slade made no reaction.

"What is happening? Help!"

Terra snapped out of the memory and realized that the shouting was coming from Beast Boy. The Titan was frantically clawing at the stone Terra had placed around his head.

Terra gasped, quickly removing the stone as Beast Boy sat upright, breathing deeply.

"What was that?" Beast Boy asked aloud, frantically looking around. He saw Terra sitting up her hammock outside the window.

"Um…" Terra said with a sheepish smile as she held up a hand. "Hi."

Beast Boy's mouth dropped open and he looked between Terra and his messy room. The Titan let out an embarrassed squeal before quickly hitting a button next to the window, causing it to slam close in front of Terra's face.

Terra put an ear up against the window and heard a lot of fast movement, grunts, and collisions. After hearing a sigh of relief, Terra leaned back as the window opened to a spotless room.

"Come in," Beast Boy tried, and failed, to say casually.

Terra nodded, grabbed her backpack, and hopped from her hammock and into the room.

Terra touched the wall for balance and heard something fall against the closed closet door. She looked at Beast Boy. "What happens if I open that door?"

"I wouldn't," Beast Boy said quickly.

Terra laughed.

"I, um…" Beast Boy looked around. "I thought you'd left."

"I can't," Terra said, placing her hands in her pockets. "Not yet."

"Why?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra looked at her hands. "If I want to control this and… if I want control of my life, I need to confront this. I need to figure it out."

"Where do you want to start?" Beast Boy asked.

"From the beginning to the end," Terra answered. She sat down on Beast Boy's bed and held up the memory device. "Markovia to Slade to… now. And I want your help."

"I'll stay all night," Beast Boy promised. "I can't go with you into the memories. But I can be here when you get back."

Terra nodded.

…

Beast Boy sat on the bed next to Terra as she went into her memories.

It was hours before Terra looked up. Beast Boy was still sitting next to her on the bed.

"I'm royalty and I had a brother?" Terra asked in awe.

"Yeah…" Beast Boy said, unsure of how to approach the situation.

"The green butterfly," Terra said in realization. "You were with my brother, Geo-Force when he came to visit me. I saw you two flying off after school one day."

"Yes," Beast Boy said sadly. "He… he agreed with you. You were a schoolgirl and… you had the life you wanted."

"I think the operative word is _'had'_ ," Terra said. She stood and looked out the window at the now sunny sky. "Wow…"

"You okay?" Beast Boy asked, still sitting next to Terra.

"I'm good," Terra said. She shook her head. "Fixit was right. It is just like dreaming."

"So, what do you want to do now?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra turned to Beast Boy as her eyes widened in surprise.

Beast Boy was about to question her when his Titans Communicator went off. "Beast Boy," Raven said. "Grab Terra and bring her to the hanger."

Terra looked at Beast Boy in surprise, but slowly nodded.

"On our way," Beast Boy responded.

…

"After we're done with whatever Raven needs us for," Terra said as they started riding the elevator to the hanger. "I want to find Geo-Force."

"Why?" Beast Boy asked.

"Because I think that you and Geo-Force are the key to everything," Terra answered as the elevator doors opened and they walked down the hallway to the hanger. "I started getting fragments of memories after you showed me the mirror when you brought me to the Tower the day we… the day you found me."

"Okay…" Beast Boy said. "You never told me about—"

"But my dreams about Slade," Terra continued, ignoring Beast Boy. "The clearer fragments of memories, the dirt appearing in my bed, all that started the night after I saw Geo-Force."

"You think he has the answers you need?" Beast Boy guessed.

They entered a large, enclosed hanger located underwater near Titans Tower.

"If he doesn't have answers, then at least I'll learn more about where I came from," Terra replied.

The walked into the hanger as an orange, 'T'-shaped ship rose out of the water. The large T-Ship featured five separate areas for seating and two large thrusters. There looked to be a newer, unpainted black pod attached to the far back of the ship for a sixth passenger.

The hanger doors above them opened, splitting the water in half to allow the T-Ship to exit.

Terra shook her head and looked at Beast Boy. "My friend Amber asked me if I was okay right after I saw you and Geo-Force," she said to Beast Boy before looking down at her hands. "I told her everything was just fine. I guess I was wrong… I need to figure this out."

"Then let's go figure it out," Jinx said as she, Raven, and Fixit walked toward them.

"You called us here for _me_?" Terra asked.

"You require answers," Fixit said simply. "We have the ability to help you get them."

"We spent the night getting ready," Jinx explained. "Fixit even called in some of his friends to help construct another pod for you on the T-Ship."

"Where are we going?" Terra asked.

"Markovia," Raven answered.

The T-Ship spun around, allowing the Titans and Terra access to the various pods.

Red X looked at them from the lead pod as the T-Ship finished its rotation. "Get in."

…

Red X waited patiently as the rest of the team filed into the T-Ship.

After flipping a few switches to verify working coms and internal systems, Red X activated the thrusters and the T-Ship shot out of the hanger.

"That was fun!" Jinx commented from her pod as the T-Ship leveled out.

"I think I prefer being in control of my own flying," Terra admitted, her face a pale green color.

"Not in space you wouldn't," Raven said.

"Well, at least we'll get a warm welcome from Geo-Force when we get to Markovia," Beast Boy said as he placed his legs up on the dash.

"It is curious," Fixit interjected. "Files on Markovia are very limited."

"How limited?" Terra asked.

"Enough that I will not be able to navigate us through the area," Fixit clarified. "They have no place in my records or that of any organization known. And they have always secluded themselves from outside politics."

"Like I said," Beast Boy promised. "Geo-Force'll help us out."

"Do they know were coming?" Red X asked.

"I have made several attempts to establish communication, but have not yet found success," Fixit answered.

Red X nodded to himself. "I've always heard it a reclusive place."

…

 _After weeks of training, Terra, now dressed in yellow shorts and a cropped top shirt with a circled Yellow 'T' in the center, stood just outside the volcano with Slade. The sun was setting in brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and brown._

 _"You are ready," Slade said, placing a hand on Terra's shoulder as her hair fell over her right eye._

 _"I am," Terra said confidently._

 _"You are ready to join, and infiltrate, the Teen Titans," Slade finished. "And then you will destroy them."_

 _Terra's eyes widened. "That wasn't part of the deal!" she said, stepping back as she pushed her hair out of her eye._

 _"What **deal**?" Slade asked. "You came to me for **control** , young one. I have given it. I did not force you to come to me. Just as I did not force you to run from the Titans and Markovia before them."_

 _Terra took another step back. "How do you know about Mark—"_

 _"It matters not," Slade said._

 _"Well it's going to be different this time," Terra insisted, taking yet another step back from Slade. "They'll accept me. They won't fear me. I'm not afraid anymore. **You** taught me how not to be afraid."_

 _"I have no doubt they will accept you," Slade said calmly. "But they will eventually fear you. When they see your powers, they will limit you. They will… cage you. And, if you prove too hard to control, they will hunt you. And if they find you, if they face you, they will lose. And many others will be hurt in the process. And then, Terra, you will never be free."_

 _"I don't **want** to fight them," Terra said firmly._

 _"My dear," Slade said. "You won't have too. Not for some time. For now, I simply need… information on the Titans."_

 _Terra looked down and shook her head. "You knew I wouldn't agree to this," she said quietly. She thought of Beast Boy. "I know he lied but… I won't fight them."_

 _"I am not simply encouraging you to rejoin the Titans to retrieve intel and strike," Slade clarified. "I want to show you the truth. They feared you. They **will** fear your control. And they **will** fear your potential. And they **will** hold you back from doing more good than they **ever** have. And once you understand this, you **will** realize that you can never be free. You just need to simply… observe."_

 _Terra looked toward the city as both excitement and doubt crept into her mind. She found herself seeing grains of truth in Slade's words._

 _Terra took a deep breath and raised herself on a rock platform. "If I don't contact you again after… after I help save the city from… whatever you're planning on doing tonight," she said as she looked over her shoulder at Slade. "I promise that I won't tell them it was you who helped me."_

 _Slade slowly nodded._

 _"I owe you that much," Terra said softly. She turned away from her master. "Thank you, Slade."_

 _"Terra, my child," Slade said, stepping back into the shadows. "You will always **owe** me."_

…

 _"I don't believe it," Terra said as she gazed at her brand-new Titans Communicator. "They actually trust me."_

 _Terra's hair shifted, covering her right eye._

 _Terra continued staring at her Communicator for a moment before looking away. "I should tell them…"_

 _As Terra walked out of the room with the full intent of doing so, she thought about how her new team would react. The Titans would never trust her again. They would cast her out. They would put her in jail._

 _Raven would have been right. And everything Terra had gained; the friendship of the Titans, a place on the team, Raven's respect, would be gone in an instant._

 _Worst of all, Terra would lose Beast Boy's respect. She would lose his trust. She would hurt him._

 _Terra sighed, staring at the Communicator again. She couldn't tell them. Not yet. They needed more time. She needed to earn their trust completely. And they needed to earn hers. "It can wait."_

…

 _Terra spent days with the Titans._

 _With every crime she prevented, she felt more and more like a hero._

 _And with every bug that she planted, every piece of equipment that she stole, every weakness she found, she began to lose pieces of herself._

 _Many times, Terra considered telling the Titans everything. They were her friends. They didn't deserve what was coming._

 _And yet, every night, Slade's predictions during her training crept into her mind just before going to sleep._

 _And every day, the truth of Slade's words slowly began to grow and expand. Like the growth of grass following a long winter and even longer rains._

…

 _"They will hold back on you during their trainings," Slade cautioned._

…

 _"Why are you holding back in sparring?" Terra asked Robin._

 _"Just because you **can** put someone down hard doesn't mean you **have** to," Robin answered. "Especially when you're only training with your friends."_

…

 _"They will limit your ability to help the world," Slade promised._

…

 _"Why can't we combine my powers with your tech to help keep the criminals in jail where they're supposed to be?" Terra asked Cyborg. "I mean, my powers have been holding this Tower up for days now. You yourself have said that the Tower is just as stable as it's ever been."_

 _"You **and** Raven put the Tower back," Cyborg corrected. "And it's not like you didn't earn your place here. But our job is to put criminals in jail and, if necessary, put them back. It's not our job to keep them there. That's for the police."_

 _Terra shook her head._

 _"The day we stop trusting this city," Cyborg said calmly. "Is they day the city stops trusting **us**. We do our job, the city does theirs."_

 _Terra shook her head and walked away, mumbling to herself. "Yeah. Because our prisons have an earthshattering record when it comes to **that**. I've caught Dr. Light **twice** now."_

…

 _"They will urge you to wait," Slade stated. "They will say to…"_

…

 _"Give it time," Starfire said kindly to Terra. "We are not holding you back because we think you are incapable."_

 _Terra looked away. "You're holding me back because you're still not sure if I can control my powers when I push myself."_

 _"On my planet," Starfire said. "To urge someone to use their abilities without need, is to turn them in something they are not, or to turn them into something they need not be."_

 _"I'm ready for more," Terra promised._

…

 _"And though they will never say it directly," Slade preached. "They will always fear you."_

…

 _Terra preformed greater feats than even Slade had taught her. And while the Titans openly_

 _congratulated her, they also watched her._

 _Raven, with a somewhat furrowed brow, drew her hood over her head as Terra used her power to create an earthquake in order to stop a car from crashing into a gas station._

 _"Be cautious of fuel lines," Raven said. "Otherwise, you won't be saving anything."_

…

 _And when it came time to betray the Titans, Terra did._

 _Terra deactivated the security._

 _Terra let in the commandos._

 _Terra gave the Titans to Slade._

 _Terra did everything that Slade asked of her… with one exception._

…

 _"Do you trust me?" Terra asked Beast Boy, offering him a hand._

…

 _Terra took Beast Boy away from the Tower and away from his friends._

 _Terra attempted to save him. She was about to tell him everything._

 _Terra's one act of initial mercy for the Titans ended with one single revelation._

…

 _Terra held her hand out to Beast Boy as she pleaded for his understanding. "You said you'd be my friend, no matter what, remember?"_

 _Beast Boy turned away from her, glaring over his shoulder as Terra lowered her hand. "Slade was right," he said bitterly. "You don't have any friends."_

 _Terra's eyes widened with hurt._

 _"Come," Slade said as Terra slowly stepped back to stand in front of the commando, closing her eyes. "We've had a change of plans."_

 _Terra opened her eyes and the hurt was replaced by hate as she and Slade slowly stepped back into the shadows._

…

 _Terra returned to the volcano with Slade and traveled into its dark depths to the room illuminated only by the lava being held back by protective glass._

 _"I'm sorry," Terra said quietly as Slade took off his scratched mask and replaced it with his back to her. Terra took a step forward. "I was wrong about them. I was wrong about you."_

 _"Terra, my child," Slade said, turning back to her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is nothing to forgive."_

…

Terra continued watching until she fought the Titans to the point of their retreat before shutting down the memory device. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm sorry, guys."

"What?" Jinx asked from her pod. "I didn't copy."

Terra jumped, realizing that she had spoken out loud. She gulped and forced herself to say it again. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did when I… what I did the last time around. It was wrong, it was foolish, and it was cruel. I really am nothing like you guys."

There was a moment of silence before Raven spoke. "You're not all that different from us, Terra. From _me_."

Terra raised herself in her seat to look at Raven's pod. The Titan pressed a button and Terra saw a request for a private communication appear on her own console. Terra accepted the request.

"I never hated you," Raven said once she knew their conversation was private. "I… was scared of you."

"From what I've found out the last day and half," Terra said. "I'd say everyone has… had a reason to be scared."

"You don't understand," Raven said calmly. "My powers are derived from my emotions. If I lose control… or if I choose to, I could rip the entire universe in half. And that is _always_ going to be my battle to fight."

Terra looked at her hands.

"And then came this girl," Raven continued. "And I knew in a heartbeat that with as talented as she was…"

Terra looked at Raven again.

Raven let out a breath. "This other girl could tear my whole world apart. The one place that I've found true refuge is Earth. And I couldn't risk her ending up… like me. So I pushed her away and I kept her at a distance. And in the end… one of the greatest threats to the world… was her. And then later… me."

Terra closed her eyes, thinking of everything that she'd done.

Raven spoke again. "But… after everything that has happened, you and I still have one thing in common, Terra. We _both_ chose to return. We _both_ chose to fight back. And we _both_ saved the world."

Terra smiled slightly, knowing that Raven was telling the truth.

Raven ended the private com.

"We're here," Red X said.

Terra looked out the window and saw a large, golden-brown city perched on top of a large, spacious mountain. There were hundreds of people walking about the streets. Large factories sent smoke high into the orange, cloudy sky.

"Wow…" Jinx said. "Cool place you got, Terra."

"Yeah," Beast Boy said. "I wouldn't exactly mind taking a vacation here. What do you think, Raven?"

Raven didn't answer.

"Still no word from the city?" Red X asked.

"I still have not received a response," Fixit said. "It is curious that with the T-Ship being within line of sight that the Markovian authorities have made no attempt to contact us."

"Something's not right," Red X said. "I'm putting us down outside the city."

Red X landed the T-Ship thirty yards from the city and he, Terra, and the Titans emerged from the ship.

Terra left her backpack in the T-Ship.

"Any memories?" Jinx asked Terra as they all exited the T-Ship.

Terra shook her head, getting the feeling that something was off about Markovia.

"Well, just remember," Jinx said, placing a hand on Terra's shoulder. "No matter what we find, no matter what we find out about your past, it doesn't define you. You get to choose who you want to be."

Terra nodded. "Thanks," she said. She looked at Beast Boy who was currently a dalmatian sniffing at the ground. "Beast Boy, what's wrong?"

"I don't smell anything," Beast Boy answered as he resumed his human form. "People, food, nothing."

"Something is definitely wrong," Raven said.

Red X looked at them before slowly walking to the edge of the city.

None of the people paid them any mind. It was as if the Titans, Terra, and Red X didn't exist.

Red X stopped and slowly reached forward. A second later, his hand disappeared.

"Woah!" Beast Boy said as the rest of the group ran up to Red X. "Are you okay?"

Red X grunted and moved his hand back as it reappeared. "This place is a ghost town. Look at the factories."

"The smoke just… ends," Jinx said, following his gaze.

Terra looked as well and saw that smoke did in fact rise into the sky but simply disappeared rather than dissipating.

"Red X is correct," Fixit said. "I am detecting no life signs on the surface of the city."

Terra slowly walked past Red X. The second that she crossed in front of him, the city disappeared.

Markovia was a city of rubble. Rusted and broken cars surrounded them. The buildings were long abandoned and some were mere piles of rubble while others had begun to fall apart. The factories were inactive and the streets were covered with debris.

There was nobody in sight.

"When you mentioned them as 'reclusive'," Jinx said to Red X as the thief, Terra, and Titans crossed the threshold. "I was thinking more along the lines of not being a tourist attraction."

"What happened to this place?" Beast Boy asked. He looked at Terra.

Terra shook her head. "I don't know," she said honestly.

"This is an advanced cloaking device," Raven said, as she moved her hand through the threshold. "It was put here to make it _look_ like the city existed."

"Slade must be using this tech to hide the portal generators too," Red X assumed.

"It is effective," Fixit said as his eyes flashed. "I have tracked the cloak's origin to an area a mile outside the city. My scans indicate that it is made from old technology. The device is constructed using minerals that can only be found here, in Markovia."

"I don't get it," Terra said. She looked at Raven and Beast Boy. "This place was fine during my last memory. Geo-Force told you he'd cleaned this place up… this doesn't look clean."

"Beats me," Beast Boy said as he looked back at the threshold.

"There's something more going on here," Raven said. "We need to find out what it is."

"So, where do we go?" Jinx asked, looking around them.

"We follow her," Red X said, looking at Terra.

"What?" Terra asked.

"You've been here in your memories," Red X said calmly. "Find the most prominent landmark and bring us to it."

Terra closed her eyes and thought for a moment before looking at the Titans and Red X. "The throne room."

Beast Boy started placing his limbs through the threshold to watch them disappear. He placed his head through as Raven yanked him back.

Terra led the group through the abandoned and destroyed city.

"Why the throne room?" Jinx asked Terra quietly.

"In one of my memories there was a nasty sandstorm," Terra explained as the largest structure in the city loomed over them. "My… parents opened up the castle for shelter. If there's anyone left in this place, they'll probably be there."

"Fixit," Red X said. "Any life signs?"

"Still nothing on the surface," Fixit answered. "However, I have detected three life signs underground."

Raven looked at Terra.

"There's an underground entrance at the back of the throne room," Terra said with certainty. "We'll start there."

Ten minutes later, they were at the palace. The palace was a large castle with multiple towers and windows. There was only one flag left standing with the rest littering the ground alongside the broken glass windows.

Terra, Red X, and the Titans walked through the front doors of the large palace and into a gigantic throne room. A dirty rug that was once red with gold lacing on the sides started from the entrance, ran past the numerous brown pillars, and ended at a small set of stairs leading to a wooden throne. There was a fallen red curtain on the floor off to the side of the room.

A group of bats fluttered from the ceiling, drawing the group's gaze for a moment. When they looked forward, one man sat on the throne of Markovia.

"Slade," Terra whispered.

Slade slowly stood. "Welcome home, Terra. I've been waiting."

The Titans and Red X turned forward, readying themselves.

"Is there ever a time when you're _not_ waiting?" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Ahh, the last remaining Titan," Slade said, looking at Beast Boy. He turned his gaze to Raven. "Or soon to be. I'm sure with more threats from the portals, your abilities will be coming in handy. I must say, I found the powers your father gave to me to be quite useful. I thank you for that."

"My powers are in my own control," Raven said evenly. "What you choose to use magic for is not a reflection upon me."

Slade nodded, looking at Terra again. "Very interesting company you keep, Terra."

"At least they don't hide in the shadows like a coward," Terra said bravely as she felt her fear and anger rising. "I've seen enough to know that they're nothing like you."

"Do you not realize that your interdimensional counterpart once helped destroy the world?" Slade asked, glancing at Raven.

"And she saved it," Terra retorted. "She's not the villain here. You are."

"Perhaps I am the only villain here," Slade said. He looked at Red X. "With one exception."

"Still not interested," Red X grunted.

Slade placed his hands behind his back. "If that is still the case…"

Numerous robotic commandos walked around the pillars as well as the throne and surrounded Terra, Red X, and the Titans.

"Perhaps I should rework my system to scan for non-biological components in the future," Fixit said.

"This happens to us a lot, doesn't it?" Jinx asked.

"Why are you here?" Terra asked Slade. "What did you do to this city? What do you want from me?"

"It is of no consequence," Slade said. "This reunion has come to an end."

The commandos raised their weapons and fired, only to have their shots blocked by Raven and Terra as they raised shields of magic and stone to protect the Titans and Red X.

Terra gritted her teeth, separated the stone wall into three pieces, and used them to smash the commandos near Slade.

Raven pushed her own shield outward and hurled the commandos near the entrance to the throne room off their feet.

Slade disappeared through a hidden door behind the throne.

"Go!" Jinx said as she, Fixit, and Red X, banded together. "We'll take care of these guys!"

Beast Boy and Raven moved to Terra.

Terra looked at Jinx and gave her an appreciative nod.

Jinx nodded in return. "Go get your answers, Terra."

Terra, Beast Boy, and Raven ran through the hidden door and down a set of stairs.

…

Jinx turned back as the commandos started to rise.

"Separating the team is a mistake," Red X commented.

"I thought you didn't care," Jinx said. She gulped. "That being said, joining Slade may have been safer for you this time around."

Jinx, Red X, and Fixit charged forward.

…

At the bottom of the stairs, Terra, Raven, and Beast Boy found themselves in a large, round room reminiscent of the underground cavern that contains the Titan's training equipment.

The room itself was empty aside from a few ripped and dusty portraits. Slade stood on the other side of the room. There was another passage behind him that seemingly led back up the mountain.

Slade turned back to Terra and the pursuing Titans. "Predictable as always," the villain said. "Does this place feel familiar to you, Terra?"

Terra looked around as images flashed through her head. This room had once contained lab equipment, scientists, soldiers, and no small amount of experimental obstacle courses.

Terra gulped. "What do you know about me?" she demanded.

"Terra, my dear," Slade said. "I know _everything_ about you."

Two figures emerged from the passage behind Slade.

The first was Pam. The old waitress from 'Ben's' had age spots on her left cheek. She was dressed in her usual pink shirt, brown pants, and black shoes with an apron strapped to her waist. As always, she wore blue, half rim glasses over her eyes. She looked the exact same as she had when Terra used to roam the outskirts of Jump City prior to meeting the Titans.

The second figure was Terra's principal.

"Principal Green?" Terra exclaimed.

"Wintergreen," Raven said quietly.

Terra glanced at the Titan before returning her gaze to her former principal, still wearing his white suit and tie as he moved to stand behind Slade. He stared blankly at Terra as he brushed down the grey trimmed hair on the back of his bald head.

" _That's_ your principal?" Beast Boy asked.

"The second man from the flash-freeze prison break," Raven said to Slade. "Wintergreen joined you just like the H.I.V.E. Headmistress the night you started this."

"Mr. Wintergreen's loyalty has been commendable," Slade allowed. He motioned to the waitress next to him. "As has the loyalty of Pam."

"I trusted you," Terra said softly, taking a step toward Wintergreen and Pam.

"How very ironic this is," Slade said. "The Titans once trusted _you_ , Terra."

"We still do," Beast Boy said determinedly.

"Disappointing," Slade said. He held up a hand as one more figure emerged from the darkness behind Slade. "You also made the mistake of trusting Terra's genetic clone."

Geo-Force stepped out of the darkness behind Slade.

The young man who'd visited the Jump City weeks before looked at Terra and the Titans with an expressionless face. His long brown hair was lay flat against his head. The upper part of his uniform that started with a 'GF' on his chest led up his neck to form a mask was now half yellow and half orange. His undershirt shirt and his lower body was black along with his gloves and belt.

The Titans and Terra had little time to process this before Geo-Force raised his hands.

The room began to shake.

The ground behind Terra rose to the ceiling, separating her from Beast Boy and Raven.

…

"Terra!" Beast Boy shouted, turning into a gorilla to break through the stone wall.

"Beast Boy!" Raven called.

Beast Boy turned to see over twenty stone pods emerge from the ground and split apart to reveal more of Slade's commandos.

Beast Boy charged into the commandos.

…

Terra turned back to Slade.

"If you wish to ask your questions," Slade said calmly. "I'd suggest you do it now."

"You can answer my questions in jail!" Terra shouted. She grabbed a few sharp, pointed stones from the ground and sent them in Slade's direction.

Slade merely stepped aside as the stones flew past and bounced harmlessly off Geo-Force's chest.

"Even as an infant, you exhibited the ability to move the earth, if only on an instinctual level," Slade said, brushing a crumb of dirt off his shoulder. "However, you always displayed potential. But now, after so many years, I must say I'm underwhelmed by your progress."

"Progress leading where?" Terra snapped.

"My legacy," Slade answered.

…

Red X used the broken pillars to jump high into the air and land in the middle of a group of commandos. He sliced with his wrist-blades from side to side horizontally and ended with an uppercut as three commandos went down.

Five commandos raised their weapons in Red X's direction.

Jinx waved her hands at two broken pillars. The pillars cracked in half and landed on a large group of charging commandos, sending dust and dirt flying to the air.

The commandos fired at Red X but found that as the dust cleared, he was no longer there. Red X jumped down from above, using adhesive rope to wrap himself around a pillar and charge into the group of commandos from the side.

Fixit placed himself between the remaining unchallenged commandos and the passage leading underground. The commandos ran forward.

Fixit blocked a punch with his left hand and sent a palm through a commando's face with his right. Fixit then ducked under another punch and sent a palm through another commando's chest, leaving behind a probe that hacked into the commando's system and caused it to turn on its nearby allies, allowing Fixit to pick off the rest with ease.

…

Beast Boy pounced at commando as a tiger, slashing through the robot before turning into an armadillo, bouncing off the wall, and using his momentum to knock down another commando.

Raven started grabbing large chunks of stone from the wall, using them to smash more stone pods as they emerged from the ground.

…

Terra's eyes narrowed.

Slade continued speaking. "When you were an infant, I approached two men. One, I only knew as 'The Scientist', and the other was General Immortus."

Terra shut her eyes briefly as a memory flashed before her.

 _Two men, one very old and dressed in military garb and the other wearing black goggles and a white lab coat, stood over a glass box. Inside was a small infant child with a tuff of yellow hair. The two men watched in amazement as the child cried and the entire room began to shake._

Terra quickly grabbed a large piece of rock to attack Slade, only to have the projectile blasted apart by Geo-Force.

"It wasn't long before The Scientist and Immortus figured out that only those of royal blood could possess and use the powers," Slade said.

Geo-Force snapped his fingers and Terra fell to the ground after a large piece of stone was ripped out from under her.

Slade took a step forward. "So I ordered them to _create_ a being."

…

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted, morphing Beast Boy from a kangaroo into a mouse to allow the green Titan to dodge an unseen blast from behind.

Raven received a kick to the chest that sent her to the ground.

Beast Boy morphed into his werebeast form and roared, using his massive arms to bat a set of commandos aside.

…

Jinx, Red X, and Fixit turned to the sound of Beast Boy's roar.

Red X looked at Jinx and nodded.

Jinx waved her hands at the ceiling, creating a series of cracks that sent a group of bats swirling down into the commandos, disorienting them.

Fixit's eyes flashed and a pile of fallen blasters rose from the ground and fired into the onslaught of commandos.

Red X jumped out of the fray and shot Xenothium at the ceiling, using his momentum throw himself through the passage and down the stairs.

…

Terra tore more stone out of the wall behind Geo-Force.

Geo-Force used his glowing palm to push the stone back into the wall. Terra found herself thrown off her feet yet again as the stone emerged from the ground and hit her from below.

"The Scientist and Immortus believed that I was helping them create a weapon," Slade said. "When in fact, all I wanted was a being whom I could use on _you_."

Terra slowly stood.

"At the time, you displayed little control over your powers," Slade explained. "I wanted a being that could test you beyond training courses. I wanted to present you with a _real_ challenge."

Terra stepped forward again. "Why didn't my family stop you?" she demanded. "Why didn't the people of Markovia stop you?"

"By the time they realized what kind of experiments we were conducting," Slade said calmly. "It was far too late."

Terra looked at the portrait on the side of the room and saw a ripped and tattered picture of a bearded man and a beautiful woman, each wearing a crown. Below them sat a blonde toddler in a pink dress.

"You destroyed the city," Terra whispered as she clenched her fists.

"It was not my intent," Slade admitted. "But yes, while we were successful in creating Geo-Force, his control over the power provided by your genetic coding had its faults. He destroyed this city, the royal family, and The Scientist in the process."

"Markovia…" Terra said, thinking of all the people who once walked its streets.

"Markovia was a necessary loss," Slade said coldly, glancing at Geo-Force. "It didn't take long to make adjustments. Now Geo-Force is dangerous, but not unstable."

Terra screamed in anger, grabbed as much rubble off the ground as she could, and threw it at Slade. Geo-Force stepped in front of Slade and summoned a rock wall to stop the brunt of the attack but was unable to stop a few stones from striking his own face.

Terra took a step back and gasped as Geo-Force looked at her, revealing that underneath his skin was a fully mechanical body.

"Yes," Slade said, moving around Geo-Force. "It is regrettable, but the only way to salvage Geo-Force's body following Markovia's demise was to replace all but his mind with nanotechnology. To any tests, using technology or other means such as telepathy, he would seem completely human. But he is simply a husk. A husk who had the ability to bury his memories so deep that even your half-demon friend could not break completely into his mind."

Brown rock slowly started to form around Geo-Force's body as he encased his features in stone, making him twice as large as Slade.

"He is nothing but a machine ready to do my bidding," Slade continued. He looked around. "As for Markovia itself, I decided to continue using it as a base because it provided me a safe place to continue my work on the portals during the Titans' confrontation with the Brotherhood of Evil. You, Terra, are all that is left of Markovia."

Terra's hands clenched into fists as she stepped forward again.

…

Beast Boy, still in his werebeast form, flipped forward in a tight ball, landed behind a group of commandos, and started swiping.

Raven flew into the air as a few commandos drew their blasters. The Titan was barely able to avoid the blasts as they collided with the wall inches away from her.

Raven used her magic to grab small bits of stone dislodged from the blasts and threw them into the commando's blasters. The weapons overloaded and exploded, sending the commandos crashing into the wall that was blocking their path to Terra.

Beast Boy threw two commandos aside as the last two robots by the stairs leveled their weapons. Suddenly, the commandos fell to the ground with a burst of electricity as two X-shurikens embedded themselves into the robot's backs.

Beast Boy resumed his human form as Red X walked down the stairs.

…

Terra grabbed stone from the ground again, turned it into mud, and attempted to pin Slade to the wall.

Geo-Force raised a hand and grabbed the mud before it reached its target and pushed outward, wrapping the mud around Terra's arms and legs and using the sticky substance to keep her in place.

Terra grunted in exertion as she attempted to use her powers to break free, but Geo-Force was stronger.

"You cannot not resist, young one," Slade said, walking forward to look into Terra's eyes. "You are not who you were. You cannot defeat Geo-Force. You cannot defeat _me_."

"You destroyed a city!" Terra spat. She looked at Geo-Force who was still standing next to Pam and Wintergreen. "You destroyed an entire city to create a tool. A weapon!"

"An _effective_ tool," Slade corrected. "But you need not be upset, Terra. Geo-Force may not have had a childhood due to his accelerated aging process, but _your_ entire childhood was a lie. You were raised in the aftermath of this city's destruction. Your father… your mother… your entire _world_ was a fabrication created by me. Everyone you knew from the moment you said your first words were nothing more than androids. Your entire life is a _lie_."

…

Jinx kicked another commando off its feet as Fixit threw aside yet another hacked android.

"C'mon!" Jinx said, moving toward the throne.

"Wait," Fixit said calmly. He walked up to the nearest pillar as his eyes flashed. "This could be… problematic."

"What?" Jinx asked. She stood beside Fixit. "We should get out of here… soon."

"Yes," Fixit said, looking at a large, intricately wired bomb that had been placed on the support column. A digital timer surrounded the bomb with a red aura. Fixit's eyes flashed again. "I detect fifteen explosive devices in this room. I shall work on disarming them. I suggest you retrieve the team, Jinx. If I fail, we only have three minutes."

"I'll see you in two," Jinx said, patting Fixit's shoulder as she ran toward the stairs.

…

"We gotta get through this!" Beast Boy said, looking at the rock wall separating them from Terra.

"That's gonna take a minute," Red X said, tracing the wall with his hand.

"We don't have one," Jinx said, joining them as Raven attempted to take apart the rock with her mind. Jinx looked around. "Where's Terra?"

"Through there," Red X said, motioning toward the stone wall with his head.

Jinx's eyes glowed pink as she started pelting the rock with pink energy.

Seconds later, the Titans and Red X joined her, using whatever they could in a desperate attempt break through the stone wall.

…

Terra attempted to break out of the mud keeping her captive but was unable to summon enough power.

"You see, Terra," Slade said as he stepped forward. "I have controlled your destiny far longer than you know."

Terra leveled a glare in his direction.

"I knew that with the right manipulation, you would eventually run," Slade continued. "Or rather, you would be set loose."

Terra closed her eyes, remembering the night she ran away from Markovia, desperate to escape the control of others only to have her every thought unknowingly manipulated by a man in shadow.

"General Immortus was still upset about the loss of Markovia as a military asset," Slade said, turning to the portrait of the royal family. "He didn't agree with my decision to set you loose in the world to see the true measure of your abilities. And so, he joined the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Another necessary loss," Terra spat.

"I had what I needed from him," Slade confirmed. He turned to Pam. "Until I felt you were ready, my assets kept a close watch on your whereabouts."

"You two never cared about me," Terra said, narrowing her gaze again as she looked at Pam and Wintergreen. "Are you guys even human?"

Pam and Wintergreen nodded as Slade answered for them. "Pam has always been willing to do a little grunt work for the right price," the commando said. "And when I decided you were ready, I set the scorpion loose upon you and the Titans took you in just as I had planned."

Terra looked at Slade.

"After all," Slade continued. "I saw you first."

…

Fixit removed a wire from a bomb as his eyes flashed. The bomb shut down with ten seconds left.

Fixit let out a sigh of relief. _We may not need to evacuate after all._

There was a small beep.

Fixit looked up and saw a small patch of red auras above him. Fixit quickly activated his inferred vision and saw numerous bombs lodged in the ceiling.

There were another series of beeps and the entire ceiling lit up.

"Fixit!" Jinx called through his communicator. "We need your help! We're blocked! We can't get to Terra!"

Fixit ripped the inactive bomb off the pillar and moved toward the stairs as the beeping above him sped up.

The Titans and Red X ceased their attempts to break the wall as Fixit arrived.

"Slade has more explosives," Fixit said calmly. "We must—"

The entire cavern shook as the throne room exploded.

…

Terra attempted to turn as she heard a loud explosion in the direction of the throne room.

Slade made no reaction.

However, Wintergreen, Pam, and Geo-Force shifted slightly.

Terra felt the power keeping her at bay falter slightly.

…

Red X quickly held out his hands and coated the entire entrance from the throne room with adhesive as debris came tumbling down the stairs.

Raven placed a shield of magic over the Xenothium to create a buffer as Beast Boy, in the form of a gorilla, Jinx, and Fixit braced themselves against it.

The Xenothium solidified and the debris was unable to penetrate the room.

"Well," Jinx said in relief. "At least we didn't get crushed."

"But Terra's still in there," Beast Boy said, pointing at the solid stone wall.

"Slade wouldn't trap himself," Red X said with certainty. "But we need to get through this wall fast. Ideas?"

Everyone looked at each other for a moment before turning to Fixit as he slowly pulled the final explosive out of his robe.

…

Terra made her move. She used what strength she could to break herself free from the casing around her before quickly reforming it into a large stone and throwing it at Geo-Force.

Geo-Force caught the stone in one palm before returning it to Terra who launched it at the ceiling above Geo-Force.

Pam and Wintergreen scattered as a chunk of the ceiling broke apart, covering Geo-Force with thousands of pounds of debris. Terra smiled in relief as Slade calmly nodded at something behind her.

Terra turned to see Geo-Force inches away from her face and was unprepared for the backhand that sent her to the ground. Geo-Force raised his rock-covered hands again and the rocks that Terra had used in an attempt to bury him reformed and closed around her in a tight cage.

Slade walked forward yet again. "That was an enjoyable attempt. But it seems you still have quite the knack for finding yourself encased in stone," he taunted. He nodded at Geo-Force and they walked back to Pam and Wintergreen before Slade spoke again. "Unlike the last time, when Trigon's fall resulted in freeing not only the people of this world from stone, but you along with them, you have little chance of escape."

…

Jinx placed her right palm against the wall and grunted as she summoned more energy than she ever. The surface glowed bright pink. She expelled the energy, creating a large crack in the wall.

Beast Boy, in the form of a mammoth, ran straight into the wall, cracking it even more.

Jinx slumped, breathing hard as she took a step back.

Fixit placed the bomb inside the large crack.

Red X carefully traced adhesive along the crack as Raven placed a shield around the entire wall to limit the blast radius.

The Titans moved as close to the back wall as they could.

Fixit's eyes flashed as the timer on the bomb reactivated.

…

Terra attempted to break the cage apart as Geo-Force reinforced it with more stone.

"Accept it, Terra," Slade said. "You. Are. Beaten."

BANG!

The stone wall behind Terra exploded. Geo-Force raised a hand and threw the debris aside as the Titans and Red X stepped forward.

"Let her go!" Beast Boy shouted.

Slade tipped his head. "Hmm. I seem to remember urging you to do the same when you found Terra at that school," the commando said calmly. He motioned to Terra's principal. "Following your freedom from the stone coma, I placed Wintergreen in charge of keeping an eye on you until such a time that the heroes of this world were gone and there was nobody to corrupt you as the Titans had."

"The only corrupter here is _you_!" Terra retorted.

"A task that I must say could have been handled with more efficiency," Slade said to Wintergreen, ignoring Terra and turning back to Beast Boy. "I will say, it was far too easy to manipulate your feelings for Terra when I sent that commando to throw you off her scent."

Beast Boy gritted his teeth and stepped forward but stopped when Slade nodded to Geo-Force who, in turn, fashioned sharp, stone blades and leveled them at Terra's chest.

Slade glanced at Geo-Force briefly. "When I released Geo-Force weeks ago, I knew that he would trigger the memories of Terra's childhood that I needed. It would make me the sympathetic advocate she would come to when she finally discovered her powers in the near future."

"The man in the shadows who brought me to the orphanage," Terra stated.

Slade turned his back to the Titans, Terra, and Red X. "Unfortunately, I was unprepared for Kardiac's interference. He triggered Terra's powers far too early when he attacked the school. At that point in time, you ceased being a candidate for my legacy, Terra."

"Your loss," Jinx said, taking a step forward.

Terra turned and looked at Jinx.

Jinx gave her a wink. "Our gain."

Fixit took a step forward as well. "I agree. That was a severe miscalculation."

Terra gave them a thankful nod. She felt her power rising. _Incentive._

"However," Slade said, ignoring the Titans. "With the arrival of a better choice…"

Terra looked at Red X.

The thief folded his arms.

Terra looked back at Slade.

"This entire chain of events is now irrelevant," Slade finished, looking at Red X as well. He turned back to Terra. "Like everything that has happened in your life and the fate of Markovia itself, _you_ are irrelevant."

"No!" Terra shouted in defiance, anger, and confidence.

The cage around Terra exploded and she sent what was left of her prison and the blades back at Geo-Force.

Geo-Force turned aside as the debris went flying past. He held out an arm and combined the rock and stone into a massive meteor, sending it in Terra's direction. Terra gasped and shut her eyes as she instinctively encased herself in detailed stone that allowed all her features to be recognizable and took the projectile at full force.

As Terra hit the ground, the stone casing fell apart. She grunted in pain and was only able to rise to a knee before Geo-Force appeared in front of her and grabbed her around the neck.

…

Beast Boy took a step forward.

Raven stopped him with a hand on his chest, looking Beast Boy in the eye. "Trust me," she said quietly.

Beast Boy nodded.

The Titans and Red X stepped back.

Raven slowly turned back to the battle, levitated into the air, and sat cross-legged as she closed her eyes.

…

Terra banged her bare fists on Geo-Force's arms as the stone being picked her up.

"You are a failure, Terra," Slade said, his voice echoing in her ears. "You are a descendent of a failed city and a failed throne."

Terra's hands clenched into fists as images of what was once her home in another life became a part of her. Even without magic, the memories felt as real as the room around her.

"Most of all," Slade continued. "You are a failed Titan. You always have been. You

always will be. Because, you know that in your heart, after everything you did, everything you did _willingly_ , you can't be one of them."

"The Titans choose their own!" Raven shouted from behind Terra. "Azarath! Metrion! Zinthos!"

Terra gasped as she felt rather than saw Raven revert into a raven made of magic and enter her body. Terra shut her eyes and she and Raven became one and the same. Their powers wound themselves around each other. Terra opened her eyes. One eye was purple like Raven's. The other, blue like Terra's.

With a burst of black and yellow energy, Geo-Force flew across the room and landed on his back.

Slade's eye widened somewhat as he, Pam, and Wintergreen took a step back.

"Stay back!" Terra and Raven shouted at the Titans and Red X, their voices combined.

The Titans and Red X didn't move as Raven's body continued to float in the air.

Geo-Force quickly stood and gathered up all the loose stone from the floor and turned it into tiny blades, shooting them at Terra and Raven.

Terra and Raven let out a combined battle cry and raised their arms, grabbing all the loose stone from the ceiling and walls, creating blades of their own.

The projectiles met in the middle of the room, each trying to push the other stream of stone and rock back.

"It is ironic," Slade said loudly. "That this comes down to you, me, and the Titan. Us three are so very much alike. Destruction. Ruin. Death."

"Unlike _you_ …" Terra said in her own voice as she and Raven stepped forward. " _We_ have friends to fight for! And I'd rather be a hero like _her_ , than a villain like _you_ any day!"

"Be that as it may," Slade said. "This talk has merely been a stalling method. Now that your friends have joined us down here, I believe it is time to _bury_ this ordeal."

Slade grabbed a detonator from his belt and held his thumb over the button, taking one last look at Red X. "I trust that those who are _meant_ to survive, _will_ survive."  
Terra and Raven turned.

Red X slowly nodded at Slade.

Slade pressed the button on the detonator.

The ceiling above them lit up red for a split second before they heard a series of explosions. The ceiling started to give way, threatening to bury them alive.

Terra and Raven gasped.

Raven severed the contact and stepped in front of Terra, attempting to shield them from the Geo-Force's continuing onslaught. Terra looked up at the ceiling and raised her hands, attempting to control the collapsing rock and stone overhead.

Slade slowly walked backward through the exit as both Pam and Wintergreen stood frozen in awe of the destruction around them.

"We need to get everyone out!" Raven warned as the Titans and Red X clung as close to the wall as possible.

"Then do it!" Terra shouted as she held up one hand to keep the ceiling from completely collapsing and used the other to help fend off Geo-Force's attack.

Raven turned to Terra.

Terra nodded, looking Raven in the eye. "I got this! Go!"

…

Raven moved back to the Titans and Red X, breathing heavily as the energy she'd used to merge with Terra started to take its toll.

"We can't leave her!" Beast Boy argued.

"Beast Boy!" Terra called, looking back at him as she fell to a knee. She lowered her voice. "Just go…"

Jinx grabbed Beast Boy's shoulder. "She's right."

Raven took a breath. "I can't take more than three at a time."

"Just get back quick," Red X grunted, moving forward before Beast Boy could do.

Jinx smiled slightly.

Raven quickly placed her arms around Fixit, Beast Boy, and Jinx as a raven made of magic engulfed them, bringing them up through the mountain and to the surface.

…

Terra pushed up with her powers and created a temporary seal to stop the ceiling from collapsing.

Geo-Force used the momentary distraction to push forward. A few stones got through and Terra's other knee hit the ground. Terra breathed heavily as Geo-Force dropped the shards of stone and grabbed a large boulder from the wall.

Terra watched as the boulder flew toward her.

Red X appeared in front of Terra. The blow hit Red X in the chest and sent him flying into the back wall before landing painfully on his side as Raven returned.

Terra, without thinking, threw a rock shield over both Raven and Red X. Seconds later, a raven made of magic traveled up through the ceiling and out of sight. Terra turned back to see Geo-Force charging toward her.

Terra couldn't raise her arms in time and found herself slammed up against the wall.

Slade, Pam, and Wintergreen still lingered near the exit.

"This is a valiant effort," Slade said with the smallest amount of respect as he folded his arms.

Geo-Force lifted Terra higher by her shirt, dragging her up the wall.

The ceiling slowly began to sink.

…

On the surface near at the outskirts of the city, Beast Boy, Fixit, and Jinx watched as the large palace began to collapse into the ground.

Raven appeared with Red X.

Beast Boy and Jinx ran to Raven as Fixit started to examine Red X's wound.

"Get us back down there!" Beast Boy said to Raven.

"We can help!" Jinx added.

"I…" Raven breathed deeply as sweat poured down her face. "I can't… I'm sorry."

Jinx looked at the ever-sinking palace in fear.

Beast Boy looked to the palace as well while placing a comforting hand on Raven's shoulder.

…

Terra grunted in anger as she attempted to pull more rubble from the ground, only have it stopped by Geo-Force's own powers.

"You may take whatever pride I offer if you require consolation," Slade said. "After all, my dear child, I am the closest thing to a father… you've ever had."

Terra stopped struggling. Seconds later, her eyes opened and began to glow bright yellow.

Geo-Force froze.

Terra allowed herself to merge into the wall behind her before completely disappearing. Geo-Force looked up just in time to see Terra emerge from the ceiling, gathering all the stone that she could to create a fist twice Geo-Force's size.

Terra let out a cry as her fist collided with Geo-Force, shattering his armor and impaling him through his chest. As the dust cleared, Terra found herself on the ground. She leaned up on an elbow to see Geo-Force on the ground as well, sparking with electricity.

Terra turned to Slade as he slowly walked back into the darkness of the exit without another word.

Terra raised her hands to stop the sinking ceiling ten feet above her.

"It is pointless," Slade's voice echoed as the ceiling started to sink inch by inch. "You cannot escape this fate. You are not as strong as you once were."

"You're right…" Terra said. She looked Slade in the eye. "But you were."

Terra funneled her power as far into the ground as she could, causing it to glow with yellow energy as it cracked open. Then, she slowly raised her hands and over twenty figures emerged from the ground. The figures were completely made of mud and stone. While they had no distinguishing features, they were tall and had large arms and legs that had no trouble holding up the ceiling.

Terra stood and looked at Slade. "Thanks for teaching me that trick, _master_."

Slade's eyes narrowed.

Terra reached out and attempted to block Slade's exit. Slade gracefully backflipped over the rising rock wall behind him and took off up the stairs, leaving Terra, Pam, and Wintergreen trapped as the exit collapsed and the ceiling started to sink again.

…

Beast Boy and Raven looked down in grief as the palace completely disappeared into the ground.

"I'm sorry," Jinx said quietly to Beast Boy and Raven.

Off to the side, Red X looked down, shaking his head slightly.

After a few seconds, Fixit spoke. "I am detecting odd geographical anomalies."

The Titans and Red X looked up at him as the ground started to shake.

"Do you feel that?" Jinx asked.

A short distance away, the ground began to implode as twelve large arms dug themselves up to the surface. A few seconds later, three figures rolled onto the ground as the earth reformed and closed with a cloud of dust.

The dust cleared, revealing Terra, Pam, and Wintergreen, all of whom were unharmed.

…

Terra coughed and rose to a knee as Jinx and Beast Boy ran forward.

"Terra!" Beast Boy said quickly, sliding to a stop next to her. "Are you…"

Terra nodded and placed an arm on the Titan's shoulder. Beast Boy clasped her arm in return. Terra looked over Beast Boy and Jinx's shoulders, exchanging nods with Raven, Fixit, and Red X.

Terra slowly looked at Jinx, the dust still pouring off her clothes. "I could… _really_ use that tub now," she said to the Titan.

Jinx let out a laugh and wrapped her arms around Terra.

Terra froze at the contact slightly before hugging Jinx with her free hand.

"You _cannot_ leave me alone with these guys," Jinx whispered.

"I don't want to," Terra admitted, looking at Beast Boy.

Beast Boy smiled.

…

Red X gazed at the top of cliff overlooking the destroyed city. He took a step forward as he saw Slade silhouetted against the sun.

Red X nodded, tapping his Titans Communicator. _It's almost time…_

When Red X blinked, Slade was gone. He looked over to see Raven staring at him.

…

A few hours later, after the group had found and destroyed the device cloaking the city using the T-Ship's seismic blasters, a flash of yellow and red arrived to take Pam and Wintergreen to prison.

Eventually, Terra, the Titans, and Red X walked back to the T-Ship.

The thief was limping somewhat.

"Raven," Terra called.

Raven stopped and turned as the rest of the group got on the T-ship.

Terra looked down. "I wanna…" she gulped. "I wanna come back with you guys… for good."

Raven looked down for a moment.

"The Titans are the only family I have left," Terra said softly, gazing at the destroyed city. "And they're only family that I've ever really known."

Raven looked Terra in the eye. "Let's go home," the Titan said.

Terra smiled. Once they were in the T-Ship and headed back to Jump City, she turned off

her com and grabbed her backpack, pulling out a pencil and paper.

…

Terra and Jinx watched the setting sun through the living room window of Titans Tower as Beast Boy paced while talking on his Titans Communicator.

Off to the side, Red X and Fixit were quietly discussing something at the central computer with Raven standing behind them, her arms folded.

"If you find it to be too much," Jinx was saying to Terra. "You can always bunk with me."

"Thanks," Terra said genuinely.

"I mean," Jinx continued, glancing around the room. "I'm sure with Xenothium, a genius, a crew of animals, an earth manipulator, and me, we can figure out a way to get a second bed in the room."

Terra chuckled.

"Yes," Beast Boy said quickly. "Yes, sir, I understand. You will not be disappointed, sir. Okay, thank you."

Everyone turned as Beast Boy closed his communicator. "It's official!" the veteran Titan said excitedly. "With the capture of Kardiac, Adonis, Pam, and Wintergreen as well as the personal recommendation of the Titans, Terra is now officially pardoned for all past actions and free to go and stay as she pleases!"

Terra let out a breath of relief as Jinx patted her back.

Fixit walked forward as well, offering a hand, which Terra shook.

Red X turned back to the computer, tapping his Communicator.

Terra looked at Raven.

The cloaked Titan nodded before exiting the living room.

Beast Boy walked up to Terra and offered a hand. "Can I show you to your room?"

Terra shouldered her backpack, smiled, grabbed the hand, and allowed Beast Boy to lead her through the Tower to what she instantly recognized as her old room.

Beast Boy stopped at the door. "If you want, we can change it around," he said shyly. "Fixit worked through last night to make it customizable. The floors, the ceiling, everything."

Terra nodded and the door slid open. She reached to her right and turned on the light.

The room was identical to what it had been in her memories. The carpet was blue. The walls were brown and depicted sand dunes that led into a blue, starry sky. Small dots on the ceiling resembling a night sky lit up the room along with normal lights.

There was a large cactus plant and bed near at the far side of the room. To the right was a large sofa, a desk with a lava-lamp, and a large book shelf.

Terra walked inside and dropped her backpack, looking around. "Wow…"

"Do you…" Beast Boy gulped as he walked in. "Do you want to change it?"

Terra looked at the ceiling and shook her head. "Naah… I'll keep it as is."

"I thought you didn't like camping outdoors," Beast Boy said.

"It grew on me last night," Terra said, gazing out the large window that overlooked the city. "It's not too bad out there."

"Oh," Beast Boy said excitedly, joining Terra at the window. "Well, any time you want to be roommates its fine with me."

Terra looked at Beast Boy and raised an eyebrow.

Beast Boy's eyes widened. "I mean— um…I… I'm just gonna stop talking now."

Terra smiled and turned back at the couch, noticing that there were two items on it.

"Looks like the rest of the team got you some stuff too," Beast Boy said.

Terra walked around the table and picked up a yellow Walkman. There was a bright, gold dawn depicted on the cassette player's surface as well as several meteors. There was also small note attached to it.

 **I figured you'd need some 'Earthly' tunes along with the flute music you used to listen to. The cover is unbreakable. Fixit had some modification suggestions.**

 **But don't break the tapes.**

 **They're expensive.**

– **Jinx**

Terra reread the note gratefully as she tipped her head in confusion. _That doesn't sound like Jinx. And how does she know about the music I listened to? Oh well._

"What is it?" Beast Boy asked.

"Nothing," Terra answered.

Terra looked at the second object. It was a silver, heart-shaped case. Terra opened it with shaking hands. The lid contained a mirror.

Terra looked at her reflection, finally understanding the flashes of memories that had started her journey back to the Titans while also understanding what the object had once meant to her as she took in the emotions that she now felt in this moment.

Terra looked inside the case and saw a silver, butterfly-shaped comb. Terra slowly took out the comb, setting the case on the table. She looked at Beast Boy and spoke as emotion entered her voice. "You… you kept this? All this time?"

Beast Boy slowly nodded. "I couldn't get rid of it."

Terra's eyes started to water as she thought about all Beast Boy had done for her leading up to the point she had betrayed the Titans and all that Beast Boy had done for her over the past two days.

"Terra…" Beast Boy said.

Terra pulled Beast Boy into a hug.

"You're the best friend I've ever had," Terra said a tear fell from her eye and onto his shoulder.

Beast Boy smiled and hugged her back.

A single tear fell down Beast Boy's face as well.

"What?" Terra asked, confused about Beast Boy's show of emotion.

"Nothing," Beast Boy said, turning away. "Nothing. Just… happy memories."

Somebody knocked on the wall just inside the room.

They both turned to see Raven standing in the doorway. "Can I have a moment?" the cloaked Titan asked.

Beast Boy nodded and walked out of the room with a grin on his face.

Raven walked into the room and closed the door, looking around thoughtfully.

Terra looked at the comb before placing it in her hair, tucking her blond locks behind her ears.

"That looks good on you," Raven commented.

Terra smiled slightly before looking Raven in the eye. "I'm going to keep my promise," she told the Titan. "I'm not going to hurt him or… anybody ever again."

"I know," Raven said. She looked around again. "How does it feel? Being back?"

"I don't know," Terra admitted, sitting down on the sofa. "All I know is that I'm where I should be."

"Good," Raven said. She walked over to the sofa and sat down as well. After a few seconds, she sighed. "I never got to show you what I wanted you to see."

Terra looked over and saw Raven take out her mirror.

Raven placed a hand on the mirror and slowly offered it to Terra.

Terra hesitated only a second before grabbing the handle.

Once again Terra fell through the whirlpool of energy before the large, white room appeared beneath her. Terra, knowing what was coming, managed to land on one knee before taking Raven's hand and rising to her feet.

"I think I'm gonna stick close to you, this time," Terra said to Raven as they both turned and walked toward the archway with the white stars and eclipses.

Suddenly, the Red Raven appeared, opened its mouth, and hissed at Terra.

Terra stopped for a moment before looking at Raven, speaking calmly. "If I were to throw a rock at that thing in here, would I give you a headache?"

"Don't let Beast Boy rub off on you," Raven groaned. She flicked her wrist and with a flash of black energy, Red Raven was gone.

The pair reached the archway and Terra took a deep breath.

"Ready?" Raven asked.

"I hope so," Terra answered.

"How far did you get with your memories?" Raven asked.

"I've seen almost everything up to the point when Slade and I took over the city," Terra answered with a hint of guilt in her voice.

"Almost?" Raven pressed.

Terra sighed. "There was one with Beast Boy at the fare and… I couldn't watch it."

"Why?" Raven asked.

"I don't think I deserve it," Terra admitted.

Raven looked down for a moment before looking at Terra. "You deserve _this_ memory. Let's watch it from my point of view."

They walked through the archway side-by-side.

The next moment, they saw another Terra and Raven walking side-by-side down a hallway in Titans Tower.

Terra was dressed in her black shirt with the 'T' on the center and her brown shorts along with her gloves as well as her goggles that hanged down across her chest.

 _"Sooo… friends?" Terra asked Raven hopefully._

 _"Close enough," Raven allowed._

 _"Sorry we kinda got off to a rocky start," Terra said._

 _"Actually," Raven said as they stopped next to a door in the middle of the hall. "I thought things went pretty well. It took me a **year** to stop hating Beast Boy."_

 _Both girls chuckled for a moment before Raven opened the door. Terra walked inside with Raven close behind._

 _"Umm…" Terra said, trying to see through the darkness. "Where are we?"_

 _"Your room," Raven replied, turning the lights on._

 _Terra and Raven weren't alone._

 _"Surprise!" shouted Beast Boy, Robin, Cyborg, and Starfire._

 _Terra stepped forward, in awe of the room and the people in it. "You guys did all this… for me?" she asked in wonder._

 _"Yeah, since you helped save our home and all," Beast Boy said smoothly as he stepped a little closer to Terra with his eyebrows cocking. "We thought you deserved your own room."_

 _"You also deserve one of these," Robin said, offering Terra a Titans Communicator._

 _Terra reached forward and grabbed the device, still in awe of the moment. "So I'm…"_

 _"A Teen Titan," Robin completed as Starfire clasped her hands together with a smile. "Glad to have you on the team, Terra."_

 _Terra shook Robin's hand with a smile._

 _"Aww yeah!" Cyborg said sweetly. "Very nice!"_

 _"This is the best thing that's ever happened to me," Beast Boy said with certainty._

 _"Welcome, new Titan!" Starfire said with another smile._

 _"Congratulations, Terra," Raven said from the doorway. "You earned it."_

 _Terra looked over at Raven with an excited smile._

 _"Alright," Cyborg said. "There's only one way to commemorate such a momentous occasion… Waffles!"_

 _"Mmm," Robin said in agreement._

 _"Perfect!" Starfire added._

 _"Can they be non-dairy waffles?" Beast Boy asked as the Titans started to exit the room._

 _All the while, Terra was staring at her communicator with a wide smile on her face._

 _"Sounds good," Terra finally said, turning to the Titans as they left. "I'll catch up in a minute, okay?"_

 _The door closed behind the Titans._

The real Terra closed her eyes and opened them as her own memories took over.

 _Terra turned again, gazing at the Titans Communicator._

 _"I don't believe it," Terra almost whispered. "They actually trust me…"_

The present Terra paid no attention as the hair on the girl from her memories fell over her right eye. She only watched the smile on her own face.

A second later, Terra and Raven had returned to the present and were sitting on the sofa in Terra's room.

"You deserve that memory," Raven said softly.

Terra looked down as her eyes began to water. She allowed the feelings of her past to influence her present. "The joy… what I felt when they gave me that Communicator…" Terra said just as softly. She looked at Raven in awe. "It felt real. The happiness… my gratefulness to all you guys… it wasn't a lie… for that one instant… it _wasn't_ a lie."

Raven placed a hand on the other girl's shoulder. "Neither are you, Terra."

Terra looked at her hands for a moment before looking Raven in the eye as several tears slid down her cheeks. "Thank you, Raven."

"You're on your own path now, Terra," Raven said, standing. "Now, I think it's time to continue on mine."

Terra looked up in surprise and then down in sadness as realization dawned. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Raven said calmly. "I'm going where I'm needed most. And now, finally, you are where you're _wanted_ most. I've got to go pack. I'll see you in the living room."

Raven exited the room.

Terra looked around and sighed. After a few seconds, she reached into her backpack and extracted two pieces of paper. The first paper depicted a yellow and black butterfly struggling to make its way out of an orange cocoon.

The second paper, Terra's newest drawing, depicted a yellow and black butterfly with its wings spread far out to the sides and a destroyed orange cocoon that lay far behind it.

Terra smiled and attached the drawings to the large cactus plant by the bed, thinking of how far she'd come and all those who'd helped her.

After a minute of thought, Terra sat down on the bed, pulled out her memory device, and accessed it briefly. _What was that group project about?_

A few minutes later, when Terra entered the living room, she made her way over to Fixit, who was standing at the computer console off to the side.

Fixit spoke without turning. "Do you feel that you have found a sense of identity, Titan Terra?"

"A better sense than I had two days ago," Terra answered.

"Excellent," Fixit said, turning to Terra. "I now feel much more comfortable informing you that your progress has been astounding despite your odds of success."

"I'd imagine they weren't too great," Terra said to herself.

"Would you like to know—"

"No," Terra interrupted quickly with a laugh. "No, thanks."

Fixit nodded and turned back to the console.

Terra looked around for a moment before speaking again. "Fixit," she said as the cybernetic being turned again. She lowered her voice. "If there's anything I can do to help you feel… more human, just let me know. It's the least I can do after you gave me the memory device and helped me in Markovia."

"The offer makes me feel like an equal," Fixit said gratefully. "And, over the past couple days, you, like everyone on this team and that of the other teams I have researched, have reminded me that strength of will is determined not by physical stature, but by the feelings one has for whom they are fighting. So, with that in mind, _I_ would like to thank _you_ , Titan Terra."

"It's just Terra."

"I appreciate your help, Terra."

Terra smiled and turned as Raven reentered the living room and moved to Beast Boy. The cloaked Titan had a tightly packed bag in her hand that seemed to be held together by magic as well as a giant stuffed chicken tucked under her arm.

Terra sniggered at the sight as the Titan walked by.

Raven sent a glare in her direction before reaching Beast Boy.

…

Raven set the stuffed chicken down, causing it to cluck softly. "It's time for me to go, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy looked at the stuffed chicken sadly. "I'll miss you," he said softly. "And I wish you didn't have to go. I mean, who's gonna make fun of me when you're gone?"

"It's not that hard," Raven said. "I'm sure someone will volunteer."

"I'll do it," Jinx offered as the Titans gathered around them with Red X moving to stand behind the group, attempting to hide his limp.

"See?" Raven said, turning to Jinx. "That's one problem down."

Jinx nodded. "I'm sorry for all the times you and I…"

Raven shook her head. "You have a good eye and a better heart than you give yourself credit for," she said, glancing at the lightning bolt necklace around Jinx's neck as well as the Communicator on her belt. "I hope you can keep that. No matter what hardships or disappointments may come."

"I will," Jinx promised.

Fixit moved forward as Raven turned. "I am, right now, incapable of feeling true emotion, and to simulate it would be nothing but a lie," the cybernetic being said. He offered a hand. "I do believe, however, know that I will miss seeing you on a daily basis and also the wisdom that you offer this team."

"I'll miss you too, Fixit," Raven said, shaking the hand. "Cyborg would be proud of the progress you've made."

Raven looked at Red X. The thief just stared back.

Raven glanced at the Communicator on his belt for a moment.

Red X didn't move.

Raven slowly reached forward and placed her hands over his hurt leg. A bluish film with a white line around it appeared with a soft, whining buzz and Red X visibly relaxed as his leg healed.

"You've changed," Raven said to Red X. "For better or worse, you aren't who you once were."

"You Titans will never understand that people don't change," Red X said.

Raven lowered her voice even more. "In that case, you should know that if you betray us," she hissed. "I will make you redefine every meaning of the word 'fear'."

"Sounds like a challenge," Red X said, folding his arms.

"It's not the only one," Raven said. "It's how you rise up to meet them that will decide who you truly are."

Terra slowly walked up to Raven and they watched Red X move away.

"I don't know if I really trust that guy," Terra said quietly.

"I'm not going to make that call for you," Raven replied. "But he does have his uses."

"So… this is it, huh?" Terra said, turning back to Raven. "Goodbye?"

"For now, at least," Raven answered.

"I, um…" Terra sniffed somewhat. She reached into her pocket and extracted a piece of paper, offering it to Raven. "I had a class project a while back with Goth Boy. I got his number. I saw you two the other day and I figured…"

Raven slowly took the piece of paper.

"He checks out a lot of books about chakra," Terra said.

Raven looked away as a tear started forming in her eye. After a few seconds, she turned back to Terra.

Terra smiled shyly.

Raven reached into her belt and grabbed her Titans Communicator, offering it to Terra. "Be well, Terra. And… be safe."

Terra stared at the Communicator for a moment before clasping it, and Raven's hand, with her own.

Raven placed her own free hand over Terra's. They both stood still for a moment before letting their hands drop at the same time.

"His name's Garfield," Raven said quietly, motioning to Beast Boy. "Use whatever mileage you can."

Terra laughed. "I think I'll wait 'til he gives me the name," she said.

Raven nodded in approval and walked back to Beast Boy.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Beast Boy smiled sheepishly. "Good… good luck, Raven."

Raven smiled sadly and slowly reached into her cloak, extracting a penny. "I've got that covered."

Beast Boy stared at the penny for a moment before hugging Raven as he spoke quickly. "I know you hate hugs, but—"

Raven returned the hug, wrapping her arms around him.

They stayed like that for a full three seconds before Raven released Beast Boy.

"Promise me you'll keep this team going in the right direction," Raven said.

"I promise," Beast Boy replied.

Raven took a step back, drew her hood over her head and chanted. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos…"

Raven transformed into a black raven before disappearing through the ceiling along with her bag, the stuffed chicken, and the penny.

…

Terra gave Beast Boy a comforting smile.

Beast Boy smiled in return.

Terra slowly placed the Titans Communicator on her belt.

Jinx walked over and placed an arm around Terra's shoulder. "That looks good on you."

"Thanks," Terra said.

"So," Jinx said, walking them to the center of the living room as the Titans and Red X returned to their posts. "You ready to help me keep these boys in line?"

"Ready," Terra confirmed.

"Good," Jinx said, sounding relieved. She lowered her voice. "And if you ever need to visit home again, I'll come with you. I've got some experience in needing to…"

Terre looked down for a moment and then up at Jinx in surprise.

"What?" Jinx asked.

Terra chuckled. "I think we can narrow down where some of Slade's portal generators are."

"What?" Jinx asked again.

"It's just an idea," Terra said. "Probably nothing, but—"

"Hold up," Jinx said. She raised her voice. "Guys, Terra's got something."

The Titans and Red X gathered around her.

"It's just an idea," Terra said. She looked at Fixit. "But it could actually work. You said that the devices to hide the portal generators were made up of stuff only found in Markovia, right?"

"That is correct," Fixit said.

"What if…" Terra hesitated. She took a deep breath. "Is there a way that you can scan for just those minerals _here_ , in Jump City."

"That would lead us right to the source of the cloaking," Jinx commented.

"And the devices too," Beast Boy said. He ran a hand down his face. "We can actually end this."

"It ends with beating Slade," Red X said. He sighed and looked at Fixit. "Can you make a tracker?"

"Yes," Fixit said. He turned to the main computer and his eyes flashed as he started to create a blueprint on the screen. "However, it will take some time to create a world-wide algorithm to scan for all the portal generators."

"Stick to the primaries," Jinx advised. "Major cities."

"I shall begin my work immediately," Fixit said.

Terra sighed in relief. "That was easier than I thought it would be."

"That's what's cool about this team," Beast Boy said. "Everyone will listen."

Terra looked over at Red X, who gave a small nod of approval.

"Beast Boy," Jinx called. "I think it's time to give Terra her new outfit."

Beast Boy nodded and walked over to a cupboard on the side of the room.

Terra walked up to Red X as the thief changed out a Xenothium vial on his belt.

"Thank you for taking me to Markovia," Terra said.

Red X glanced at her.

Terra shrugged. "You didn't have to come. But you did, so… thanks."

"Choose a side and stick to it this time," Red X said in reply. "Being buried alive is _not_ my idea of fun."

Terra scoffed and walked away.

"That's his version of 'you're welcome'," Beast Boy said, handing Terra a bag.

Terra opened the bag and looked inside.

…

Jinx walked up to Red X. "That was harsh," the Titan commented as Terra exited the room with the bag.

Red X tested out his wrist-blades, keeping his back to her.

"Still," Jinx continued lightly. "It was sweet of you to leave Terra a card and the cassette tapes."

Red X turned slightly.

Jinx rolled her eyes. "X, next time you give somebody a present, give it to them yourself. Don't try to pawn being nice off onto someone else."

"I don't _do_ 'nice'," Red X said.

"Whatever," Jinx replied. She handed Red X the card he'd written for Terra regarding the Walkman and cassette tapes. "And by the way, you write like a girl."

…

Terra walked back into the living room. She was now wearing a black t-shirt with a circled 'T' in the center. The shirt ran down to her waist and into her yellow and black belt. Her pants were black as well with a yellow stripe around each side and reached down to her neatly tied yellow and black boots.

"Soo…" Beast Boy said to Terra. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a lot more comfortable than the schoolgirl outfit," Terra answered. She looked at the Titans and Red X before glancing at her own outfit. "And it looks a _lot_ cooler."

"Training room," Red X called to everyone. "Five minutes."

"What?" Beast Boy asked as everyone turned in surprise.

"Fixit finished the new modules three days ago," Red X informed him. "If I'm going to keep working with you, then I need to know you guys can keep up."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Jinx commented.

"Four minutes and forty-five seconds."

"Training would increase our overall odds of success," Fixit said, still looking at the central monitor.

"Don't think this means you're our leader," Beast Boy said to Red X bravely.

"Who _is_ the leader?" Terra asked genuinely.

"It doesn't matter," Red X said. "We don't train, we don't win. Simple as that."

"He has a point," Terra said to Beast Boy.

"Dude!" Beast Boy said to Terra. "Don't agree with him! That's Jinx's job."

Jinx smiled.

"Let's _go_ ," Red X said, already moving out the door.

"Fine," Beast Boy said, folding his arms as everyone else followed Red X out the door. "But don't tell me what to do."

Terra grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room.

…

Slade brought up the feed to the Titans Communicator he'd given Red X. For hours, he observed the Titans in the training room.

After shutting down the computer, Slade stood and moved over to a window. He was on the last floor in a wide, abandoned skyscraper. The building overlooked Jump City. He could see Titans Tower in the distance.

 _They are skilled. There is no doubt about that. However, they lack what the original Titans had. They lack synergy._

Slade placed his hands behind his back.

 _Red X is in position. He has already planted doubts within the minds of the Titans while proving himself to be a formidable ally._

 _Terra's discovery of her past and of how I hide the portal generators means nothing. Even if they were to find some of the portal generators and secure them for allied extraction, they will not have enough time._

 _It is far too late for the Titans and their allies now._

 _Within days, the Gordanian army that is surly on its way following its encounter with the first portal, will arrive._

 _And then the world… will be mine._


	13. Next Week on Ep:7 of Teen Titans Dawn

**Next Week on the Finale of Teen Titans Dawn…**

Titans Tower remained in the light longer than any other building in Jump City. But, despite that there were no buildings to block out the sun, even the home of heroes grew dark.

…

Seconds later, a single Titan entered the living room, walked up to the central monitor, and sat down, hitting a button.

Beast Boy leaned forward in anticipation.

…

Jinx started running down the street, once again gazing into the sky as she grasped her Titans Communicator in her hands.

…

Fixit's eyes flashed as he looked through data regarding his creations and their efforts to guard and surveil the portals.

…

Terra closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before gazing at the Titans Communicator in her hands.

…

Everything is ready.

Ten seconds later, the reply came.

Then it is time.

Red X closed the laptop.

…

"Prove you don't work for Slade," Beast Boy said calmly.

"Prove that I do," Red X retorted.

…

Beast Boy's eyes widened and he took a step back, turned into a T-Rex, and swung around in an attempt to hit Red X with his tail. Red X leapt into the air and shot adhesive at Beast Boy's muzzle.

The other Titans moved forward to confront Red X.

…

After a few seconds, Slade turned and gazed down at the machine atop a nearby parking ramp that would soon bring about the end of the Teen Titans and every hero that had risen to confront the threat to Earth.

Slade clasped his hands behind his back. _It is time for the world… to fall._


	14. Episode VII: Titans Dawn

Throughout the day, the sun, bright as it was, once again failed to penetrate the numerous portals that littered the sky over Jump City. As the sun began to set, the once glistening city faded into darkness.

Titans Tower remained in the light longer than any other building in Jump City. But, despite that there were no buildings to block out the sun, even the home of heroes grew dark. Soon, only the water was lit.

Inside Titans Tower, the central monitor lit up.

HIGH PRIORITY NEWS ALERT

Seconds later, a single Titan entered the living room, walked up to the central monitor, and sat down, hitting a button.

Beast Boy leaned forward in anticipation. The screen illuminated his face as the video recording of the nightly news special started to play.

…

Earth in Peril: The Continuing Crisis

 _It's been nearly nine weeks since the portals appeared in the night sky all around the world._

 _These portals have been confirmed to lead to the furthest expanses of space and other dimensions, potentially exposing Earth to infinite threats._

 _Naturally, local and global authorities have banded together to help protect the public from the dangers._

 _However, the world can take some comfort in knowing, following a public statement from the Mayor of Jump City, that the Teen Titans have brought all their resources to bear in order to ensure the continued protection of the planet._

…

"C'mon kids," Jinx said, motioning for the children to leave the playground and reenter the local community center. She looked at the sky for a moment before grabbing a boy with an artificial hand who was wearing black and white shoes, grey pants, and a blue and white baseball shirt with the number 'thirty' on it as well as a blue baseball cap from the monkey-bars and placing him on the ground. "That means you too, kid."

"Do we _have_ to go inside?" one of the kids groaned.

"Jinx is as much your teacher as I am," Sarah Simms said as she opened the door to the community center. She brushed down her orange ponytail and gave Jinx a smile. "We're lucky to have her."

The children walked into the community center as another teacher moved forward to get them ready for dinner.

"Any word from Cyborg?" Jinx asked.

Sarah shook her head and looked up into the sky as well. "No. But he's doing what he has to do, just like us."

Jinx nodded. "Well, I'm sure he's fine."

"What about _your_ boyfriend?" Sarah asked, motioning to Jinx's lightning bolt necklace.

Jinx slowly pointed to the barely visible moon.

"You're _kidding_ ," Sarah said.

Jinx shook her head. "He's working overtime," she explained. "I guess there was an attack on the moon by some of Slade's commandos."

"And?" Sarah pressed.

"And nobody's hurt too bad," Jinx promised. "But the base needs repairs and… a lot of the fast-movers, techs, and heavy-lifters went up there this morning."

"How bad was the damage?" Sarah asked.

"Half the base."

"Sooo… almost half the moon."

"Almost," Jinx confirmed.

Sarah nodded sadly. "I'm afraid Cyborg is up _there_ ," she said, pointing to a portal that was surrounded by various ships and vehicles. "With the Gordanians—"

"If the Gordanians think that they can mess with our planet," Jinx said firmly, placing a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Cyborg, Starfire's forces from Tamaran, and the League will be there to prove them wrong."

"You're right," Sarah said. She took a deep breath. "You're right, Jinx."

Jinx's Titans Communicator chimed. The Titan looked at Sarah. "I gotta go. Tell the kids I said 'bye'."

"I'll see you next week," Sarah said.

Jinx started running down the street, once again gazing into the sky as she grasped her Titans Communicator in her hands.

…

 _It was very early in the evening of that fateful night when the Mayor released a statement confirming that this man, Slade, is behind the production of the machines that have allowed these portals to stay open these many weeks._

 _It is also believed that Slade is using an element called Xenothium to power his machines. While the two stories may be unrelated, it is possible that there is a connection between the machines and a break-in that occurred earlier this week at Romano Laboratories, a local lab here in Jump City that holds large quantities of the dangerous substance._

 _And though it has not yet been confirmed, it is quite possible that Slade is not working alone._

…

Red X walked into the room labeled 'Robin' and set down a large bag containing numerous vials of Xenothium. He closed the door behind him before extracting a laptop from a drawer.

Red X opened the laptop, booted it up, and sent a message to an outside address.

Everything is ready.

Ten seconds later, the reply came.

Then it is time.

Red X closed the laptop.

…

 _However, the heroes have not only put forth their powers in the efforts to protect Earth, but also technology. Numerous robotic entities of unknown origin have shown up all around the world to aid in both protecting the planet from the threats through the portals and providing twenty-four-seven surveillance footage to local authorities._

…

Fixit's eyes flashed as he looked through data regarding his creations and their efforts to guard and surveil the portals. Seconds later, he moved to the table where he gazed at the latest devices that he had created for the team.

…

 _Following a recent surveillance leak from an unknown source, the Mayor admitted that a fleet of potentially hostile ships have gathered beyond the one of the portals residing above Jump City._

 _The Mayor recently released another statement, assuring locals that heroes from around the world are gathering to confront the army. He also insinuated that allies may be able to assist from beyond the portal and that they are quote 'alien' in nature._

 _Still, it seems that Mayor is nervous about the coming days as well. He continues to urge anyone who would like to step forward in aiding the efforts of protecting our planet to do so._

…

Terra stood atop a rock platform over a large bridge on the edge of the city. She watched as numerous ships bearing supplies, heroes from outside Jump City, and even military reinforcements from around the world flew up through the portal to confront the Gordanian threat.

Terra closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before gazing at the Titans Communicator in her hands.

…

 _The Mayor also provided encouraging news today. He states that the Teen Titans of Jump City have recently found a way to track where the portal machines are being kept. This news has been well received according to latest polls as it indicates that this terrible crisis may soon be at an end._

…

Slade rose from his computer and walked to the roof of an abandoned skyscraper that sat directly under a portal, watching as the sun completely disappeared. He looked to Titans Tower and then to the portal littered sky.

After a few seconds, Slade turned and gazed down at the machine atop a nearby parking ramp that would soon bring about the end of the Teen Titans and every hero that had risen to confront the threat to Earth.

Slade clasped his hands behind his back. _It is time for the world… to fall._

…

 **There's new trouble. We know who to call…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **The old Titans, they can't stop it all…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **With all the evil on the attack,**

 **they won't rest until they got your back.**

 **The world will need more heroes on patrol…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **Now a new team must come to the light…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **Our world will surly perish if they don't unite…**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

 **There's a path must be run.**

 **A path that leads straight to the dawn.**

 **'** **Cause without Titans, evil gains control…**

 **TEEN TITANS DAWN!**

 **ONE!**

 **TWO!**

 **THREE!**

 **FOUR!**

 **DAWN!**

 **TEEN TITANS!**

…

"There will always be evil. There will always be heroes. For a long time, the heroes were us. That time may be coming to an end. But that does not mean the end of heroes."

– Starfire. Teen Titans Dawn: Episode I "Titans Dusk."

…

 ** _"_** ** _Titans Dawn"_**

Beast Boy turned as the Titans and Red X arrived in the living room.

"What's wrong?" Jinx asked anxiously.

Beast Boy turned and looked out the window for a moment before turning back to the group. "We've engaged the Gordanians."

"And?" Red X asked, tapping his hip which presently held no Communicator.

"And we won't know anything for a while," Beast Boy said, eyeing the thief's hip momentarily. He looked at Jinx. "What I can tell you is that it's spreading further than we'd like it too."

"The moon?" Jinx asked, stroking her lightning bolt necklace.

Beast Boy slowly nodded.

Jinx turned away.

"Well, shouldn't we be going to help?" Terra asked, placing a hand on Jinx's shoulder.

"No," Red X answered. The Titans turned to him. "We still haven't found Slade. If he sees an angle or an opening, he'll exploit it."

"Well, we've almost gotten him three times since returning from Markovia," Beast Boy said optimistically.

" _Almost_ isn't enough," Red X retorted. "We need to get solid intel on where he is."

"You know," Terra said in an annoyed tone. "Sometimes it feels like _Slade_ is the one with all the intel."

Beast Boy nodded slowly. He looked at Red X.

"I agree with Red X," Fixit said before Beast Boy could decide whether or not to once again voice a suspicion that's he'd been mulling over for weeks. "The amount of threats to the city and the planet have equal chances of increasing or decreasing due to the conflict with the Gordanians. Many criminals will be tempted to act on the decreased protection of the city."

Terra shook her head. "I hate standing still," she muttered.

"We all do," Beast Boy promised, looking down. "We have a lot of friends up there."

Terra grabbed his hand and gave it a light squeeze.

Beast Boy relaxed and Terra let go.

Jinx sighed and looked out the window as Red X folded his arms.

"Since we are, presently, unoccupied," Fixit said, breaking the silence. "I would like to show you some of the inventions that I have been preparing. And I think it is appropriate that I give you your device first, Jinx."

Jinx turned in surprise and walked forward as Fixit offered her a small round piece of plastic.

"If you would place it on the necklace you received from the speedster…" Fixit said as Jinx carefully took small device.

Jinx slowly placed it on the center of her lightning bolt necklace. As she pressed down on the plastic, it molded into the necklace.

"Woah…" Jinx said. She looked at Fixit. "Why is it vibrating like that?"

"It took some time but using DNA that I have gathered from the speedster's numerous visits to Titans Tower, mainly for food consumption I might add, I was able to get a lock onto his genetic signature," Fixit explained. "The device that is now on your necklace links directly to him. The vibration you feel is—"

"His heartbeat," Jinx whispered with a relieved smile.

"I felt it would be appropriate for you to know that he is safe," Fixit said. He pointed at the necklace. "The device is linked to your own DNA and can be touch activated. You may turn it on and off as you please."

Jinx held the necklace in her fist for a moment before turning the device off. "Thank you, Fixit," she said softly.

"You are welcome," Fixit said. He turned to Terra. "I apologize that your new goggles are not yet ready as they are still undergoing their final testing phase."

"That's fine," Terra said with a shrug. "I've gone without before."

"The other device is for you, Beast Boy," Fixit said. He pulled a utility belt identical to Beast Boy's out of his cloak. "Please keep in mind that this can only be tested by you. Therefore, the results are unpredictable and the device may need further adjustments."

Beast Boy cautiously took the belt. "It's not going to blow me up or electrocute me, is it?"

"Would you really like to know the odds of that occurring?" Fixit asked.

Beast Boy shook his head and replaced his old belt with the new one. "What does it do?"

"While examining the recordings of our training sessions," Fixit said, stepping back. "I have found that there is a fraction of a second during a morph in which you are vulnerable to attack. This device is meant to reduce the probability of an opponent exploiting this weakness."

"Soo…" Beast Boy said, still confused. "What does it do?"

"It increases your morphing speed," Fixit clarified. "In order to test this device, you will have to morph."

"Okay…" Beast Boy said. He morphed into a snake and then resumed his human form. "Tada!"

"What do you mean?" Terra asked, looking between Beast Boy and the Titans. "You haven't done anything yet."

"What?" Beast Boy asked. He looked around. "I did to! I was a snake! Didn't you see me?"

"Hmm," Fixit said, placing a hand on his chin. "Interesting."

"What?" Red X grunted.

"Apparently, the device has another advantage," Fixit answered. "It seems that with the increase in morphing speed, Beast Boy could, theoretically, transform continuously at a rapid pace to become invisible to the normal eye."

"Coool!" Beast Boy said.

…

Terra stepped back as Beast Boy disappeared for a full three seconds. She felt a gust of wind by her cheek before Beast Boy appeared by the central monitor.

"Dude!" Beast Boy said excitedly. "This is awesome!"

"Your belt's on fire," Jinx said calmly.

"I know I'm on fi— wait, what?" Beast Boy looked down as his belt burst into flame. He quickly took off the belt and threw it onto the table.

"As I said," Fixit commented, his eyes flashing in the direction of the belt. "Adjustments may be required. Perhaps I should add a coolant system."

"You think?" Red X asked as Beast Boy grabbed his original belt.

"Still," Fixit said, moving to the central monitor and inserting a plug into his head. "It would not hurt to see the results of the test."

"Huh?" Beast Boy said, clipping on his belt. He squealed. "No! Wait!"

Beast Boy ran over to the central monitor and tugged at Fixit who didn't move a muscle. Beast Boy then moved onto the cord behind the monitor, tugging at it in vain.

Fixit's eyes flashed and a video popped up on the monitor.

The image displayed Beast Boy turning from a mouse to an elephant to a giraffe to a monkey, and back to his normal form. He gave Terra a previously unseen kiss on the cheek before transforming into a couple of animals and resuming his human form.

There was an awkward silence as the screen went blank.

Fixit unplugged himself from the computer in silence.

Terra and Jinx looked at a blushing Beast Boy. Both girls folded their arms and raised an eyebrow in unison.

Fixit and Red X seemed to decide it was a good time to occupy themselves with other matters as they quickly moved to the other side of the room.

Beast Boy started stammering. "Sorry, I was just having fun! I just wanted to test out the gadget! I didn't mean it!"

Terra scoffed and unfolded her arms slightly as Jinx placed a hand over her mouth and turned away.

Beast Boy froze and squealed again. "I mean… I did mean it! I just…"

Terra shook her head, turned around, and walked to the door with Jinx.

Beast Boy followed close behind, still stammering.

Terra's eyes glowed and the dust in the ceases of the door expanded as Jinx flicked her wrist, causing both sides of the door to slam shut in Beast Boy's face.

There was a loud thump as Beast Boy walked straight into the door.

Terra and Jinx exchanged smiles and kept walking.

…

Beast Boy laid on the ground, attempting to blink the stars out of his eyes.

Red X stood over the Green Titan. "At least she doesn't know about the Tokyo Girls," the thief grunted.

"Yeah," Beast Boy groaned as he stood. "That… wait, how do _you_ know about the Tokyo Girls?"

"I know everything."

"I do find your perceptive abilities to be quite enhanced compared to many humans that I have encountered," Fixit said to Red X, examining Beast Boy's belt.

"If I'm so perceptive, why don't I get a new gadget?" Red X asked.

"Because you regularly call yourself 'thief' and continue to insist that you are, quote, 'not a Titan'," Fixit answered. "If that is the case, is not right for a Titan to provide a thief with technology that could potentially alter a… beneficial arrangement."

"You mean blackmail," Red X grunted.

…

"Well, that was fun," Jinx said to Terra as they walked through the Tower. "You wanna try to catch a movie? We can invite Amber and Dionne. They're cool with you again, right?"

"Amber and Dionne said we were good," Terra replied. She pulled the memory device out of her pants pocket. "And they said they were jealous of where I live."

" _I_ used to be jealous of where you lived," Jinx admitted. "You know, way back when."

"Anyway, I can't do the movie," Terra said. "There's one last memory that I have to get through."

…

Red X slipped into Robin's old room, booted up his laptop again, and sent one message.

It happens tonight.

…

A while later, Jinx walked down the hallway, feeling the rhythmic vibration of her necklace on her chest. A few seconds later, she sighed in relief and turned off the device.

After turning another corner, Jinx stopped at Terra's room and knocked as she walked in. "Hey, Terra, Beast Boy wanted me to let you know that dinner's… Terra?"

…

Beast Boy placed his tofu-eggs and waffles on a plate.

"Terra's gone!" Jinx announced as she ran into the living room.

"Again?" Red X asked lazily from the couch.

Jinx sent a glare in his direction.

"I shall activate the locator on her Communicator," Fixit said calmly, moving to the computer.

"Did she say anything?" Beast Boy asked quickly.

"Um…" Jinx looked up. "She mentioned that she had one last memory she wanted to look at."

Beast Boy thought for a moment. He took a deep breath. "I know where she is."

…

 _Terra, dressed in the uniform that Slade had provided before asking her to destroy the Teen Titans, found herself kneeling on the ground in pain._

 _Slade moved forward and grabbed Terra by her uniform's chest piece and lifted her into the air as the end drew near._

 _The ripped fabric of Terra's uniform and her hair rose in a flurry of wind._

 _Terra opened her eyes as they glowed bright yellow. "_ _ **You**_ _can't control me_ _ **anymore**_ _!"_

 _An orb of yellow energy formed around Terra and Slade. Seconds later, the orb turned orange and grew pointed as it melted down the solid rock column beneath Terra and Slade, allowing long sealed lava to flow freely before an explosion blew the column apart completely._

 _The Titans shielded their eyes for a moment and when the smoke cleared, Slade was gone and Terra stood upon a floating rock platform._

 _Terra's hands ceased their glowing as she collapsed to her hands and knees._

 _All around them, the volcano began to crumble._

 _"_ _Terra's power!" Robin shouted as lava shot up from the cracks in the ground. "It's triggered a volcano!"  
"Big enough to take out the whole city!" Cyborg added, glancing at a readout on his arm. "And way too big to stop!"_

 _Raven used her power to redirect a large flare of lava. "We have to get out of here!"_

 _Robin motioned for the other Titans to follow as the three moved to the exit with Starfire flying close behind._

 _"_ _Terra!" Beast Boy said as Terra, still kneeling on the ground, brought her platform closer to him. Beast Boy placed his hands on her shoulders. "C'mon, we gotta go!"_

 _"_ _I have to stay," Terra said calmly and firmly, her eyes shut._

 _Lava started to pool at the bottom of the volcano. Rocks fell from the ceiling and collided with the lava as the room began to shake even more._

 _"_ _No…" Beast Boy said softly._

 _"_ _I'm the only one who can stop it," Terra said simply, opening her eyes. Her blonde hair still covered her right eye as she looked at the crumbling walls around them._

 _"_ _Please, Terra, you can't," Beast Boy begged. "It's too late."_

 _Terra stood and turned to Beast Boy as she brushed her hair away from her eye. She smiled. "It's never too late."_

 _Beast Boy's eyes began to tremble._

 _Terra wrapped herself around Beast Boy. After a second, Beast Boy slowly hugged her in return._

 _Terra's blue eyes began to water. "You're the best friend… I've ever had," she said, closing her eyes as she laid her head on his shoulder._

 _Terra released Beast Boy and touched his shoulders for a moment before letting go completely. Beast Boy took a few steps back. Neither of them broke eye contact as Terra's hands started to glow, separating the ground Beast Boy was standing on from her own and guiding him to safety._

 _Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy's shoulders and led him out of the volcano along with the rest of the Titans._

 _Terra stared straight ahead as dark yellow energy began to outline her entire body. More and more of the volcano crumbled and the lava started to rise, leaving Terra and the column of rock that she stood upon surrounded by destruction._

 _Terra closed her eyes as the energy around her spread like fire and her clothing and hair once again rose in a gust of wind._

 _Lava burst from the walls ensuring that the volcano would erupt in seconds._

 _The energy soared above Terra's head, sending a beam of energy to the ceiling._

 _Terra gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she gathered as much power as she could. As the lava surrounded her completely, Terra spread her arms and let out a scream of determination as she dispersed the energy in a flash of white light._

Terra opened her eyes, dropping the memory device to the ground. She gazed at the bouquet of dead roses in front of her as well as the plaque that was once her legacy.

TERRA

 **A TEEN TITAN**

 **A TRUE FRIEND**

…

Beast Boy walked to the bottom of the volcano and found a large hut made of solid rock. Beast Boy turned into an ant and crawled through one of the small air holes to find Terra sitting on the ground in the hut's center, staring at the Titans Communicator in her hand.

Beast Boy resumed his human form and sat next to her.

"How'd you find me?" Terra asked, still looking at her Communicator.

"Because this is where I used to go when I needed to talk to someone," Beast Boy answered.

"Why didn't you…" Terra gulped and looked into Beast Boy's eyes. "Why didn't you tell me I was your best friend."

"What?" Beast Boy asked.

Terra looked away for a moment. "I just watched my last… I saw what I did in the volcano… what I did _here_ ," she clarified, looking at Beast Boy again as her voice quivered. "And _I_ told _you_ … that _you_ were the best friend _I've_ ever had… why didn't you ever tell me about that?"

Beast Boy swallowed and looked at the plaque in front of them. "I've spent a lot of time telling you who you _were_ ," he said softly, turning back to Terra. "That wasn't fair of me to do."

Terra looked at the plaque for a moment as well before looking at Beast Boy.

Beast Boy looked into her eyes and smiled sadly. "Now, as your friend, I just want to help you discover who you _are_."

Terra looked down, smiling sadly before leaning forward and planting a kiss on Beast Boy's lips. Beast Boy didn't hesitate in returning the kiss.

When Terra finally pulled away, she left Beast Boy with a happy, but very confused expression on his face.

Terra blushed. "We um… we never did that before, did we?"

"Uh, no…" Beast Boy said. He shook his head. "No we did not."

Terra smiled slightly and shrugged. "It just… seems like something we should've done before."

"Yeah…" Beast Boy said. He smiled.

Before either could say another word, their Communicators chimed.

Terra answered hers first. "Terra here," she said, sniffling somewhat. "Beast Boy's with me."

"You two good?" Jinx asked.

"Yup," Terra answered simply, giving Beast Boy a smile.

"Better than good," Beast Boy added, smiling back. He looked at the Communicator. "Did something happen?"

"Slade's attacking City Hall. We think he's after the Mayor."

…

Jinx, Fixit, and Red X jumped to the ground from the T-Ship as fifteen of Slade's robotic commandos walked toward the City Hall.

The large, white building had two oak front doors and was supported by several pillars on each side. Its oak doors were surrounded by an archway, held up by several smaller support pillars.

Two of the commandos leveled their weapons at the people streaming out the front doors and onto the dark streets. Their shots were intercepted by two X-shurikens thrown by an airborne Red X. Red X landed, spinning around in a kick and disabling the commandos and before activating his wrist-blades.

Jinx jumped down behind Red X as more commandos leveled their blasters above the entrance to City Hall and fired, causing the archway crack. Jinx waved her hand as pink energy flew into the supports for the archway. The supports collapsed against each other and blocked the falling debris long enough for a large group of people, including the Mayor, to get out of the building.

Fixit walked in front of Jinx as his eyes flashed, taking control of the T-Ship remotely. The T-Ship glided close to the ground, providing cover from the firing commandos and allowing the civilians and the Mayor to make into a large police vehicle that quickly drove them to safety.

"Where are the other two?" Red X shouted to Jinx as he ducked under a few shots.

Red X slid below two commandos and slashed at their feet. He quickly stood, blocked a punch from a third commando, and slashed with both blades. As the third android's head fell to the ground, Red X thrust his blades backward on either side, impaling the other two commandos as they rose to their feet.

"They said they're on their way," Jinx answered, spinning away from a punch.

"Fixit!" Red X called. "Make sure everyone gets clear of the area!"

Jinx stepped forward and waved both her hands at the ground. Three sewer pipes emerged with a burst of water, shorting out three more commandos. As Red X used his wrist-blades to block a few blaster shots coming in his direction, Jinx cartwheeled between two commandos.

Jinx ducked as one of the commandos lunged from behind, narrowly avoiding a punch that ended up impacting with the other commando's face. As the commando fell to the ground, Jinx turned, jumped, and lashed out with a kick, disabling the other commando.

Jinx and Red X turned as the remaining commandos fired their weapons at them. The concrete on the street rose up and formed into a wall, blocking the shots. Jinx and Red X looked up as a green crow swooped down and out of sight behind the wall.

Seconds later, a dinosaur roared and flashes of yellow light could be seen over the wall. Jinx and Red X stepped back as the wall broke apart and five commandos hit the ground.

Beast Boy and Terra walked over the rubble and met up with Jinx and Red X on the street as Fixit returned.

Fixit's eyes flashed and the T-Ship parked itself on the roof of City Hall.

"Bravo, Titans."

The Titans and Red X turned as Slade walked out of the shadows of a nearby alley, slowly clapping his hands as he stopped ten feet away from them.

"Or shall I only say, 'bravo'?" Slade asked, folding his arms. "After all, you aren't really 'Titans', are you?"

Beast Boy glanced at Red X.

Slade glanced at the thief as well before looking at the destroyed entrance to City Hall. "Although I must say, it is just as easy to draw you out as it was the original Titans."

"An attack on the Mayor seems pretty desperate," Jinx taunted. "How do you know it wasn't _us_ who finally drew _you_ out?"

"Because I am always two steps ahead of you," Slade said. He started to circle the Titans. "While you have been occupied with my… minor assault on your Mayor, my commandos have commenced a massive attack on your other Towers."

"You're lying," Beast Boy said through gritted teeth as the Titans and Red X started slowly walking as well.

"No, he's not," Terra promised quietly as Slade stopped with his back to City Hall.

"Yes, Terra," Slade said with only a hint of approval. "I'm sure you remember that a full-on assault is an effective strategy with the proper… conviction."

Terra's hands clenched into fists.

"Fixit," Beast Boy said quietly.

Jinx and Terra moved in front of Fixit to block him from Slade's view.

Fixit's looked down as his eyes flashed. The T-Ship quietly rose from the top of City Hall and turned in Slade's direction as Fixit's smaller seismic blasters emerged from the headlights of the vehicle.

"The Mayor's gone," Red X said to Slade. "You may have drawn us out, but you didn't complete your mission."

"And what was my mission?" Slade asked.

Jinx's eyes widened. "Fixit, get the T-Ship out of—"

It was too late.

Several robotic commandos appeared on the roof of City Hall and jumped onto the T-Ship. Slade grabbed a small detonator from his belt and activated it. A second later, the commandos on the ship, as well as the defeated commandos on the ground exploded.

The T-Ship blew apart in midair and crashed to the ground.

…

Slade stood still as the smoke and flame billowed past him and engulfed the Titans and Red X.

The commando slowly walked into the smoke as Jinx rose to her feet and charged. Slade lazily blocked a strike with the back of his hand right hand. Jinx spun and flicked her wrist in the at a piece of debris from the T-Ship that lay on the ground between them.

The debris burst with electricity and temporarily blinded Slade. He heard boots leap from the ground as well as a grunt. Slade brought up an arm to block the kick as he opened his eyes.

Jinx backflipped to the ground and threw punch after punch. Slade sidestepped most of the strikes and blocked her left with his right hand before throwing a left of his own. Jinx gracefully bent backwards to dodge but was unprepared when Slade kicked her legs out from under her.

Slade raised a fist to strike but the blow was blocked by Fixit. Slade followed up with a kick and a flurry of punches, all of which Fixit blocked with ease. Slade spun away from a kick and saw Red X charging forward.

Slade jumped and spun between the horizontal strikes of Red X's wrist-blades. Red X slashed again and Slade took one step back to dodge before grabbing the thief's arms and redirecting the blades to slice into Fixit's mechanical knees. Slade turned with a grunt and threw Red X back into the smoke before kicking Fixit off his feet.

Slade heard a grunt of pain and looked down as Red X's fallen Communicator rolled out of the smoke.

A green leopard pounced from Slade's left. The commando turned and rolled backwards as he grabbed the leopard's outstretched paws. Slade kicked both legs up into the leopard's ribs, completed the backward roll, and came to a rest on top of the leopard.

Slade punched the leopard in the gut and Beast Boy resumed his human form with a grunt of pain.

Slade stood again and raised a leg to stomp on the Titan's chest. Just before impact, a piece of rock appeared under Slade's boot and launched him into the air.

Slade gracefully backflipped and turned, kicking apart a large piece of stone soaring toward him. Slade completed his landing and turned again as the smoke cleared. The Titans and Red X stood before him in a horizontal line.

"Do you not understand why you continue to fail?" Slade asked. He started to pace back and forth in the middle of the street as City Hall caught fire behind him. "You still rely upon your talents as individuals."

The Titans and Red X made no reply, they simply started to walk forward.

"And though you have come far in what even I would admit is a short time," Slade said as he looked at Red X again. "You are still nothing against someone who's been studying his enemies _personally_ for weeks."

Beast Boy and Terra both looked at Red X.

"Because you lack the efficiency of the original team," Slade continued. "You fight together but are defeated alone. As will be the case for your companions, both here on Earth and through the portals."

The Titans and Red X charged forward as Slade grabbed and extended his long, black staff which was once again tipped with a metal, orange 'S'.

Fixit reached Slade first and grabbed the staff with both hands. Slade ducked under the staff and let go for a split second before grabbing two probes from his own belt and placing them on each of Fixit's wrists.

With a series of electrical shocks, Fixit's hands shot out of their sockets and sent the staff soaring across the street. Slade blocked a kick before sending a palm to Fixit's face and throwing the Titan to the ground once again.

Slade looked up as Jinx charged with Red X close behind. The thief shot out Xenothium adhesive with one hand. Slade sidestepped the adhesive and grabbed the substance as Jinx charged forward with a punch infused with pink energy.

Slade blocked Jinx at the wrist, redirecting her punch into the adhesive. As the bad luck impacted with the Xenothium, the red substance wrapped around both the Titans, tying their legs together before Slade threw them off their feet.

Slade looked up as Terra raised herself into the air on a rock platform. The commando rolled to the left as a green bear charged toward him. As Beast Boy ran past him and turned, Slade grabbed an explosive from his belt and threw it into the rock platform Terra stood upon.

The platform exploded and Terra fell painfully to the ground as Slade turned, seeing Beast Boy glance in the girl's direction. Beast Boy charged forward, growling as he wrapped Slade up in a giant bear hug. Slade spun around in the bears grip and elbowed Beast Boy in the chest.

Beast Boy released his grip and started to turn into a gorilla.

Slade turned and kicked the Titan mid-morph before grabbing Beast Boy's arm using him as a human shield to block the large piece of concrete being thrown by Terra.

The rock hit Beast Boy at half speed.

Slade threw a dazed Beast Boy aside and charged forward, backhanding a shocked Terra off her feet.

"Emotional manipulation was always particularly easy to achieve with you two," Slade gloated.

Slade looked around him at the fallen Titans and Red X for a few seconds before turning and walking away. "You are not the team that once protected this city," he said, picking up his staff and throwing Fixit's hands aside.

Terra slowly stood and offered Beast Boy a hand, hauling him to his feet. Red X released the adhesive from his gloves and used an X-shuriken to cut himself and Jinx apart.

Fixit held out two arms and reattached his hands as they soared back to him.

"I have no need to attack your Tower here in Jump City," Slade said as he pulled a small sphere from his belt. "Because I have already shown you that nobody can stop me."

Slade threw the sphere at the ground. Smoke engulfed the area once again. When the smoke cleared, Slade was gone.

…

Beast Boy took a deep breath and glared at Red X.

Red X looked him in the eye.

…

Later in the night, Red X and the Titans rode a shaky rock platform created by Terra back to Titans Tower, dismounted on the roof, and moved to the elevator where they stood in separate corners with Red X in the center.

Red X walked out of the elevator first and into the living room, moving immediately to the central monitor. "If Slade was telling the truth, which he always does," the thief said lazily. "Then we should call for updates from the other Towers. And… big surprise. No immediate response."

"Are their signals being jammed?" Beast Boy asked, the allegation in his voice clear. "From here, maybe?"

Red X stood and moved to the center of the room before looking Beast Boy in the eye. "Was that accusation directed at me?"

"BB," Jinx said, walking forward and standing behind Red X's shoulder. "We're all…"

"We just got destroyed!" Terra interjected. She sighed, shook her head, and looked at each Titan. "Slade put us in the dirt and shoved it down our throats. After all the training…"

"All the training," Beast Boy repeated, looking at Red X again. "Training that _you_ insisted on. That _you_ insisted we record."

"Slade knew everything we'd do," Terra continued, moving to stand next to Beast Boy as Fixit and Jinx remained behind Red X. Terra looked at Fixit. "He knew how to hack your system. The only way he'd know that is if he'd seen either the briefings or the recordings of our trainings."

"Well, _you_ seem to know a lot about this," Red X said calmly to Terra.

Beast Boy took small step forward.

"Wait," Jinx said, stepping between Beast Boy and Red X. "Are we really having this conversation? Slade is the enemy. None of us would work for him as we are now. Not even X."

"Red X would work with anyone who offered him a gain," Beast Boy said, not breaking eye-contact with the thief. "Am I wrong?"

"Jinx," Terra said. She sighed. "You're one of the smartest girls I know. Can you really guarantee that with his background, Red X wouldn't consider working with Slade?"

"I trust him," Jinx said firmly.

"I don't," Terra said just as firmly.

Red X scoffed. "Slade was definitely right about our team."

"Let's make this easy," Beast Boy said. He looked at Fixit who had moved to stand next to Terra. Beast Boy looked at Red X. "Just tell us that you're not working _with_ or _for_ Slade."

"Why?" Red X asked, stepping forward. He glanced at Fixit. "So you can use your human lie detector on me?"

"My ability to detect anomalies in body language and vocal patterns has proved to be quite effective when I have been experimenting with trust," Fixit said.

"Well, you can choose to trust me or not. I really don't care," Red X said, looking at each Titan in turn. "And I'm not playing silly games. Unless you have proof, maybe we should get back to more important matters."

"Prove you don't work for Slade," Beast Boy said calmly.

"Prove that I do," Red X retorted.

Beast Boy took a deep breath and looked at Jinx. "I'm sorry," he said to her. "I promised myself I'd give him a chance."

Jinx raised an eyebrow.

Beast Boy gulped. "Fixit," he said.

Fixit turned to Beast Boy.

Beast Boy glanced at the computer. "Bring up Red X's movements the night of the Xenothium heist."

Fixit turned to the computer and started typing.

A few seconds later, a digital timer and a GPS map containing a blue dot representing the Xenothium lab appeared. Fixit hit another few buttons and a yellow 'X' symbol representing the nanoscopic tracker on Red X's mask appeared less than a block away.

Red X didn't move.

Fixit's eyes flashed and the timer ticked forward rapidly. The 'X' symbol started to change positions, completing a circle around the lab and moving into the lab's center before exiting five minutes later.

Jinx slowly walked forward and replayed the footage before turning to Red X with a look of sadness and disappointment.

Red X looked down momentarily.

"You were behind the heist," Beast Boy said calmly to Red X.

"What were you planning on doing with all that Xenothium?" Terra asked.

"What's Slade planning?" Beast Boy added.

"How should I know?" Red X asked. He looked at Jinx. "I didn't steal it for Slade. I don't steal for anyone but _me_."

Jinx shook her head and turned away.

Fixit walked forward. "Due to recent revelations, I've decided to run a full scan of our Communicators. I have detected an outgoing transmission," he said, his eyes flashing. He looked at Red X's Communicator. "I have now tracked the transmission to its source."

"How long?" Terra asked Red X quietly. She narrowed her eyes. "How long have you been transmitting everything to Slade?"

Fixit waited a few seconds for Red X to answer before providing an answer himself. "The transmission, it seems, has been ongoing prior to my time with the Titans."

"You were right earlier," Beast Boy said to Terra. "Slade does have all the intel."

"All this time," Jinx said through gritted teeth as she turned back to Red X. "Slade's constant escapes, always seeming to know where we are, what we're doing… were you ever really going to challenge him?"

"Not as a hero," Red X answered.

"Robin was wrong about you," Beast Boy said quietly. He walked forward, grabbed Red X's Communicator, and threw it at the door to the living room. "You're a thief and a traitor. And now, you're going to jail."

Red X looked around at the Titans before chuckling. "Fine. I am a thief."

The Titans readied themselves.

"But let me remind you of something," Red X said quietly, folding his arms as he stood inches from Beast Boy. He looked straight at Terra. "I've never been a traitor."

Beast Boy's eyes widened and he took a step back, turned into a T-Rex, and swung around in an attempt to hit Red X with his tail. Red X leapt into the air and shot adhesive at Beast Boy's muzzle.

The other Titans moved forward to confront Red X.

Red X leapt onto the counter and kicked off the edge. He soared up and over Beast Boy, completely wrapping the green Titan's muzzle and used his momentum to bring the T-Rex down to the ground.

Fixit leapt over the fallen Beast Boy and threw a punch. Red X backflipped once and threw out two X-shurikens which impacted with two probes attached to Fixit's body, causing a small explosion that blew the Titan off his feet.

Red X dove behind the couch for cover as Terra gathered the dirt in the room and sent five sharp pieces of stone in his direction. As soon as the stones were over him, Red X stood and threw two X-shurikens in Jinx's direction, causing the Titan to roll away.

Red X leapt over the couch and threw a punch at Terra, who dodged to the side. The thief ducked under Terra's counter-punch and kicked her in the chest, sending her sailing into the wall. Red X drew four more X-Shurikens and used them to pin Terra to the wall by her shirt and pants.

Red X then raised his gloves and used the adhesive to further pin her to the wall. The thief deactivated his gloves and turned in time to grab Jinx's fist and arm as she charged forward.

Red X took a moment to note the shock and hurt in Jinx's eyes before throwing her into Beast Boy who'd just risen from the ground.

…

Beast Boy, Fixit, and Jinx rose to their feet as Red X removed his belt and took out a vial, throwing it sharply to the ground and engulfing the room in smoke.

When the smoke cleared, Red X was gone. His mask and Xenothium belt lay on the floor.

"C'mon!" Jinx urged, rising to her feet first. "If we hurry—"

"Don't bother," Beast Boy said as he rose to his feet as well and helped Fixit up. "If he goes for the underground tunnels connected to the training room, we'll never catch him anyway."

Jinx moved toward the door. "Then I'll—"

"Jinx!" Beast Boy said sharply.

Jinx hesitated.

Beast Boy slowly shook his head and lowered his voice. "Red X was just a pawn. We need to track down Slade."

After picking up Red X's mask and discarded belt, Fixit set them on the counter and placed a hand on Jinx's shoulder.

Beast Boy walked toward Terra and turned into a werebeast, destroying the wall around her and ripping off the Xenothium.

"This is turning into a rocky day," Terra grunted. She shook off the rest of the Xenothium and looked around. "I think Beast Boy's right. If we don't stop Slade, Red X won't matter."

Jinx slowly nodded and looked down at Red X's fallen Titans Communicator.

…

Slade watched Red X's brief battle as seen and heard through the Communicator's hidden cameras and mics until the point that Jinx's boot destroyed the device and the screen went black.

Slade shut down his laptop, walked to the edge of the skyscraper, and gazed at the moonlit Titans Tower in the distance. _It seems that our young mastermind's usefulness on the team is at its end. No matter. He will return to me in time._

…

Beast Boy looked over Fixit's and Terra's shoulder at the central monitor.

"Any word from the other Towers?" Beast Boy asked.

"None," Fixit said. He looked at Jinx who was sitting on the couch, her face unreadable. "It is… concerning."

Beast Boy looked at Terra, who nodded and moved toward Jinx.

Beast Boy looked at the monitor again. "What about word from the moon or the battle against the Gordanians?"

…

Jinx pressed on her lightning bolt necklace and held her breath until the object under her hand began to vibrate.

Jinx closed her fist around the necklace and shut her eyes.

"Jinx," Terra said.

Jinx opened her eyes as Terra sat down next to her.

"You okay?" Terra asked.

Jinx shook her head. "Raven told me that I have a good eye… now I'm not so sure," she admitted. She sighed and looked at her necklace. "I just… I wish I could talk to him right now."

Terra slowly nodded. She prodded Jinx with her elbow. "For what it's worth, you can talk to me."

"Yeah, but you didn't even like X," Jinx grumbled.

"But you did," Terra said. She shrugged. "And I like _you_ , so…"

Jinx smiled somewhat. "Thanks, Terra."

Beast Boy walked forward and glanced at Terra.

Terra nodded and placed a hand on Jinx's leg before standing up and moving to Fixit.

Beast Boy slowly pushed aside the T.V. remote on the table and sat down across from Jinx.

Jinx looked away for a moment. "I'm sorry I was wrong."

"I'm sorry I was right," Beast Boy replied, drawing Jinx's eyes back to him. Beast Boy lowered his voice. "He lied. But… I'd be lying if I didn't, in some way, hope that I was wrong too."

"Ah," Fixit said as his eyes flashed. "The devices are ready."

Beast Boy and Jinx stood as Fixit exited the room as the central monitor lit up.

"Alright," Beast Boy said. He walked up to the monitor. "The Mayor has reached safety."

"Where?" Jinx asked.

"Fixit's robots took him to Tito's junkyard," Beast Boy answered.

"That's not going to keep Slade at bay for long," Terra cautioned.

"May I interrupt?" Fixit said as he returned to the Titans. "I have repaired and completed our new tech additions."

Beast Boy looked at the belt in Fixit's hand. "That's not going to set me on fire this time, is it?"

"I assure you, with my adjustments this device is perfectly safe," Fixit said.

Beast Boy smiled and eagerly replaced the old belt with the new and disappeared for a full five seconds as he rapidly morphed.

"You didn't do anything weird?" Terra asked. "Right?"

Beast Boy shook his head frantically.

"And for you, Terra," Fixit said. "I have these."

Terra stepped forward as Fixit held out a pair of goggles. They were tinted blue with yellow and black padding on the rims.

"The lenses are completely resistant to staining and breakage," Fixit explained as Terra weighed the goggles in her hand. "And the padding is made of compressible micro-fabric."

"What's that?" Terra asked.

"It means that it conforms to your face and won't get in the way when you're fighting," Jinx said. She looked at Fixit. "Did you…"

"Your boyfriend is quite intelligent despite the impression that he chooses to give at times," Fixit said. "I took him at his word when he said that it worked for a friend he'd met in Star City."

Terra placed the goggles around her neck.

"The lenses automatically react to the environment," Fixit continued. "They will adjust shades automatically to account for changes in light such as fire or sunlight and also contain night vision."

"Cool," Terra said. She smiled and softly touched the goggles. "Thanks, Fixit."

"I hope they come in handy," Fixit said.

"What about you?" Jinx asked.

"I have the prototype probes that are ready for testing and I have made an adjustment to my body's ability to adapt to… complications," Fixit said. He looked at his hands for a moment before looking out the window at the moonlit sky. "I believe it would be wise to find Slade. As we do not yet know what he is planning, it is best to do so with haste."

"Wherever he is," Beast Boy said as they all walked up to the central monitor. "It'll be stylish, and it'll be a trap."

"When is it not?" Jinx asked.

"I have been running scans of the city since our return from Markovia," Fixit said. "I have detected no unusual communications."

"What about electricity?" Jinx asked. "Any places that have had energy spikes or that have gone completely dark."

"None," Fixit answered.

"It's got to have something to do with the portals," Beast Boy said with certainty. "Everything has to do with the portals."

"And Slade would want to be able to see everything," Terra added. "If this is anything like when I… Slade won't leave anything to chance."

"I am narrowing search parameters to areas with close proximity to the portals within the city," Fixit said. He gazed at the readings. "The portals within these parameters have had no activity since being opened."

"Narrow the search to the industrial center," Jinx advised. "Slade wouldn't want to be somewhere easily seen by civilians."

"Skyscrapers," Terra said. Everyone turned to her. "Stylish, secluded, close to the portals."

Jinx nodded.

"That narrows the search greatly," Fixit said as he adjusted the computer once again. "Perhaps I should add in parameters regarding the skyscrapers in very close proximity to other buildings. Slade always has an exit strategy."

"Three possibilities," Jinx said once the monitor had updated. "Not bad."

"One is in sector nine," Fixit said, gazing at the monitor. "Another in sector eight, and the third in…"

Beast Boy slowly walked toward the window and gazed out across the water at the city.

The other Titans followed suit as they looked at a skyscraper visible from the Tower. There were two buildings close by that were slightly shorter. One was a parking ramp. The other was another skyscraper that was still under construction. Reportedly, construction had been stalled due to the appearance of the portals. Metal scaffolding on the roof glinted in the moonlight.

"I hate Slade," Beast Boy said as he turned to the team.

"Let's get him," Terra said.

"Let's end it," Jinx agreed.

"Let us bring our friends home," Fixit said.

"Titans together," Beast Boy said, touching his Communicator.

"Titans together," the rest of Titans chanted, touching their own Communicators.

…

First light began to creep over the horizon.

…

The Titans traveled to the moonlit skyscraper via a large rock platform.

"A little light?" Beast Boy suggested as they neared the building.

Fixit's eyes flashed and the large skyscraper as well as the lights hanging over and around the construction site the next building over turned on, illuminating the two buildings. The parking ramp remained dark.

"Where are we headed?" Terra asked as she slowed the platform.

"Top floor," Jinx advised. "Slade can see the whole city from there."

"The top floor is made up of floor to wall windows with four supports on either side," Fixit informed them.

Terra detached a small part of her platform and sent it through one of the windows to gain easy entry.

"Explosives?" Beast Boy asked.

"I detect nothing out of the ordinary," Fixit said. "However, I'm detecting a very large group of commandos. They are in low power."

"Nothing unexpected," Jinx said.

"And one life sign," Fixit added.

"Slade," Beast Boy and Terra said simultaneously.

The Titans dismounted the platform and moved into a large empty room.

The second their feet touched the floor, the electricity shorted out, leaving them in darkness. As they moved to the center of the room, five large television monitors hanging from ceiling lit up with static.

After a few seconds, the static on the monitors cleared to show Slade's head.

"Come to challenge me again?" Slade asked, his voice echoing around the Titans as they continuously turned to stare at the monitors. "Your persistence is… admirable, but futile."

"Come out here and tell us that," Jinx said under her breath.

"However, you being here has offered me an opportunity," Slade said. "I have the benefit of teaching you one last lesson."

"Careful what you wish for," Beast Boy said. He glanced at Fixit. "Can you track him?"

"I am unable to determine the source of his transmission," Fixit said. "The nearby commandos are providing enough electrical interference that they are disorienting my tracking systems."

Slade continued speaking. "I have the privilege of showing you once and for all that no matter how hard you _train_ , how hard you _fight_ , you will never _win_."

The Titans continued to turn as Slade went on.

` "As you know, my resurrection gave me the ability to employ… other means to my ultimate ends; the dismantling of the Titans and Earth's heroes, the fate of the world in my hands, and the promise of a legacy. _My_ legacy."

The Titans looked out the windows and gazed at the portals that had littered the sky for weeks, offering every threat they'd ever faced and more.

One of the monitors changed and news footage depicting the movement of resources through the portals as well as manpower provided by the heroes of Earth.

"I did not open these portals to encourage attacks from beyond. And although there have been unexpected, and ultimately acceptable, repercussions from this act, the portals have achieved their primary purpose. They have driven all but the least capable heroes from this world."

Another monitor depicted live footage of Earth's current battle against the Gordanians. Even though the portal containing the battle was being filmed at a distance, small flashes of light and explosions could be seen through the void.

"It took much research, but I knew that the first portal I opened would, sooner or later, result in the Gordanians attacking. The Titans have had, shall I say, a 'troubled' history with the aliens."

Yet another monitor changed and flipped through multiple news stories that covered the early days of the portals and also the mass flash-freeze prison breaks.

"When I orchestrated the flash-freeze prison breakouts, I knew, unpredictable as the results would be, that the combined threats of the portals and the released criminals would draw the heroes and the Titans to action. For weeks they have been funneling their manpower, their resources, and their technology through the portals and spreading themselves thin across the world. And one less hero on Earth and in Jump City means one less threat to me and my legacy."

A fourth monitor turned on. It depicted a first-person perspective of a commando attacking the moon. A yellow and red flash came at the camera before the commando was knocked off its feet.

"My recent attack on the moon and the Gordanian's attack on Earth meant that the time had come for the final phase of my plan."

The fifth monitor changed and displayed a machine. The machine looked similar to the portal generators but there was a soft red glow to it. It was encased with orange and black metal.

"This device is not just another portal generator. It connects to every portal generator that I have placed around the world."

The other four screens changed to depict the different angles of the new portal device.

"In minutes, this device will activate, sending a shockwave out to all the portal generators, destroying them and deactivating the portals."

The Titans stiffened and looked at the portals around them again as Slade continued.

"Everyone and everything beyond the portals will be cut off from Earth. And with so little resources and heroes left to challenge me, I will have little trouble reclaiming this city and then claiming the world."

Fixit's eyes flashed as he started running through scenarios.

Terra clenched her fists.

Jinx brought her hand to her lightning bolt necklace.

Beast Boy gritted his teeth and lightly touched his Titans Communicator.

The monitors changed back to the image of Slade's head as his monologue drew to a close.

"And after the world is mine, I will continue my search for someone who is not burdened by the influence of heroes. Someone to take up my mantle. Someone who, in time, will become _my legacy_."

"Enough!" Beast Boy shouted. "Come out and show yourself, Slade!"

The monitors started to shut off one-by-one as Slade spoke. "As you wish," the commando said. "But I have one last thing to tell you."

The monitors shut off completely.

"Red X was never a traitor."

Jinx and Terra looked at each other in surprise, Fixit remained still, and Beast Boy's eyes narrowed. Seconds later, the device that had been depicted on the monitors lit up the nearby parking ramp with a bright red, Xenothium glow.

The device that would bring about the fall of their world drew the Titans gaze.

In the blink of an eye, Slade stepped out of the shadows in the corner of the room and aimed his weapon at Terra.

Beast Boy's eyes widened.

There was a scream of pain as the floating concrete platform that had brought the Titans to the skyscraper plummeted to the streets below.

"Terra!" Jinx shouted.

Slade quickly dropped the blaster and reached into his belt, throwing out explosives. The explosives attached themselves to magnets located on the support walls in the middle of the room as well as the walls at the back of the room.

The resulting explosion caused half the ceiling and roof to collapse, burying the Titans and leaving Slade completely unharmed.

Slade slowly nodded to himself, knowing that with Terra's incapacitation, the Titans had no chance of escaping their fate.

Slade looked over as the device on the parking ramp shot red light into the sky. The light reflected off Slade's mask and he closed his eye, thinking of all the work he had done to divide the Titans from within.

…

 _"_ _I was able to gather the information I needed from the Titan mainframe," Slade said. "Robin's next recruit could be a great asset."_

 _"_ _I do not believe that the Titans would recruit someone that could turn traitor," the Headmistress disagreed._

 _"_ _Loyalty to me is not synonymous with being an asset," Slade said firmly, still leaning against the wall. "Although, loyalty is always preferable."_

…

 _Jinx looked through the smoke to see Slade's silhouette offer Red X's a hand._

…

 _Beast Boy resumed his human form as he saw Red X take the hand and rise to his feet._

 _Slade reached into his belt as smoke separated them from sight, secretly switching out Red X's communicator with his own._

…

 _Red X stepped back and nodded respectfully at Slade._

 _Slade nodded as well and turned, running through the smoke and out of sight._

…

 _Slade thought about the trade that'd he'd made with the young thief. Red X's Communicator was now in his possession. The Communicator that the young thief now held was a tool provided by Slade's previous apprentice, Terra, when she had been stealing secrets and tech from the Titans so long ago._

…

 _Slade grabbed a detonator from his belt and held his thumb over the button that would bury the heroes in Markovia, taking one last look at Red X. "I trust that those who are_ _ **meant**_ _to survive,_ _ **will**_ _survive."_

 _Terra and Raven turned._

 _Red X slowly nodded at Slade._

…

 _Red X gazed at the top of cliff overlooking the destroyed city Markovia. He took a step forward as he saw Slade silhouetted against the sun._

 _Red X nodded, tapping his Titans Communicator. He looked over to see Raven staring at him._

…

 _Fixit walked forward. "Due to recent revelations, I've decided to run a full scan of our Communicators. I have detected an outgoing transmission," he said, his eyes flashing. He looked at Red X's communicator. "I have now tracked the transmission to its source."_

…

 _Slade watched Red X's brief battle as seen and heard through the Titans Communicator's hidden cameras and mics until the point that Jinx's boot destroyed the device and the screen went black._

…

Slade opened his eyes and stared at the rubble that now entombed the Titans. "Small details, heroes. Small details…"

Slade turned and walked away from the rubble, his hands clasped behind his back.

Clang-clang-clang-clang.

Slade looked down and saw four X-shurikens blocking his path.

A cloaked being dropped down in front of Slade and landed on a knee, the being's ragged cape drooping over his shoulders.

Red X stood as the wind picked up and his cape fluttered in the direction of the machine located on the parking ramp.

Slade took a small step back. "Have you reconsidered my offer?" he asked calmly.

"Not a chance," Red X answered.

"Hmm," Slade said. He looked at the machine atop the parking ramp. "Well, if you are not here to join me, I can only assume you came back to _stop_ me. I assure you, it is impossible. Nothing can be changed now. You are too late. You have nobody to help you. The world believes that you are a criminal. As did your… friends. You are alone."

"Wrong again," Red X said, stepping over the X-shurikens on the ground. Slade slowly turned to the thief. Red X looked over Slade's shoulder at the rubble. "Because I'm not alone."

The sun started to rise over the top of the skyscraper.

Slade turned as the rubble slowly began to shift. Bits of rock and dust started to rise and fall to the side before the larges pieces stone and concrete rose from the pile, revealing Jinx, Fixit, and Terra.

Terra's hair slowly fell and her eyes ceased their yellow glowing as she threw the rubble to the side.

Jinx stood with her hand on her hip.

Fixit stood tall, his arms folded.

Slade tipped his head. "No…"

Terra spun around, flicking her wrist in Slade's direction.

Slade's eyes narrowed as a small green turtle soared through the air. There was a scorch mark on the turtle's shell.

Slade hesitated as he realized that, through either technology or sheer will, Beast Boy had somehow morphed fast enough to block the shot and allowed Terra to remain conscious, ensuring the Titans' survival.

Slade could only watch as in the blink of an eye, the turtle turned back into Beast Boy.

Beast Boy let out a battle cry and raised his left fist. The fist connected with Slade's mask, sending the commando sprawling past Red X to the edge of the roof.

By the time Slade looked up, Beast Boy stood next to Red X.

"I'm actually surprised you came back," Beast Boy admitted to Red X, tapping his own belt.

"Nobody messes with my playground," Red X said, keeping his gaze fixed upon Slade as the commando slowly rose to his feet.

Beast Boy slowly looked at Red X. Red X looked back and the pair exchanged a nod before Beast Boy returned to the Titans. Fixit watched silently as Terra looked between them in confusion.

"Hey, X!" Jinx called.

Red X looked over his shoulder for a moment and saw a mixture of surprise and pride on Jinx's face.

Jinx took a step forward. "What's does any good doomsday threat need."

"Effective misdirection," Red X answered.

Jinx smiled.

"How did you find us?" Terra asked.

"I found this place weeks ago," Red X answered, turning back to Slade. "I figured you guys would catch up eventually."

Slade glanced at the device atop the parking ramp. The red light was growing brighter by the second.

"Do you _really_ think I don't know what a 'bait and switch' is?" Red X asked Slade.

Slade turned and took a step forward as Red X stood his ground.

"Nothing goes on my belt without me knowing," Red X said. He threw his broken Titans Communicator at Slade's feet. "I knew you'd switched the Communicators from the get-go."

"Yet you chose to do nothing with this information," Slade retorted. "Disappointing."

"You had your plans… I had mine. I chose to put immediate trust into the one person that would find me out the second he ran a scan," Red X said, glancing at Fixit. "He's also the one person with a permanent poker face."

Fixit's eyes flashed as one of the cracked monitors turned on.

The monitor displayed the Titans Communicator that rested on Fixit's own hip.

Fixit looked at the monitor, thinking back to the moment he'd joined the Teen Titans.

 _Red X offered Fixit the Communicator. Fixit accepted the device with a nod, finally placing it on his hip._

 _"_ _Keep that thing close," Red X said, pointing to the device. "I set it to connect only to the Titans in Jump City. Any wider and it poses a security risk."_

 _Fixit looked at the device now residing on his own hip, his eyes flashing only slightly._

 _A single message was saved to the Communicator._

 _Beast Boy may have given you this Communicator, but he doesn't know I planted this message._

 _The Communicator in my possession has been bugged by Slade._

 _This stays between us, or Slade wins._

 _Eventually, I'm going to bring him down._

 _And you're going to help me._

 _Nobody else can know. Not even the rest of the Titans._

 _Not until the time is right._

\- _X_

 _"_ _That is… wise," Fixit said to himself._

"I knew that Fixit would find stopping you a priority," Red X said to Slade. "I knew that when I needed something the rest of the Titans wouldn't give, Fixit would give me the means to make my move."

"You gave the location of the lab that contained X's gear and Xenothium to spare," Jinx said to Fixit, giving him a small smile.

"I did," Fixit confirmed.

" _Most_ of my gear," Red X corrected, glancing at Fixit. "The cloaking and teleportation device would have been nice."

"That could have proved… unproductive," Fixit said.

"Well, thanks for the heads up," Jinx said in a slightly annoyed voice with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," Terra said, looking at Red X. "I wouldn't have thrown the rocks in the Tower earlier."

"That was point," Red X said, taking a step closer to Slade who remained where he was. Red X looked at Beast Boy for a moment. "I couldn't risk letting anyone else in the loop until Slade attacked City Hall."

 _Beast Boy took a deep breath and glared at Red X._

 _Red X looked him in the eye_

 _Terra, Fixit, and Jinx moved beyond the wreckage of the T-Ship outside City Hall where Terra started to create a rock platform to take them back to the Tower._

 _Red X walked straight up to Beast Boy. "Slade goes down tonight," the thief said quietly._

 _Beast Boy gave him a look of confusion._

 _After a few seconds, Red X spoke again. "I'm making my move. And if I fail, your team is the contingency. Fixit knows what is going to happen next. You'll know when it's time."_

 _Red X walked away without another word to retrieve his fallen Titans Communicator located on the other side of the wreckage._

"You keep insinuating that we've played into _your_ hands," Red X said to Slade. "But you're wrong. _You've_ been playing into _mine_."

"Into _ours_ ," Beast Boy corrected.

Red X slowly nodded and continued. "Even after all our battles, win or lose, I knew that this would come down to you and us, Slade. Because you wouldn't have it any other way. And neither would I."

"But you have achieved nothing," Slade said through clenched teeth. He motioned the bright red beam in the sky. "In seconds the world will still be mine. Even with all your strength, you can't hope to destroy the device in time."

"But this isn't about the Titans," Red X continued, stepping forward to stand face to face with Slade. "This isn't about the city, or even the world."

Slade didn't move.

"I've been beaten before," Red X said quietly. "But I don't like it when people try to one-up me. You attempted that when you switched the Communicators."

 _Red X stepped back and nodded at Slade, thinking two words. "Game on."_

 _Slade nodded as well and turned, running through the smoke and out of sight._

Red X looked at the device on the parking ramp for a moment.

Slade followed Red X's gaze.

Red X turned again and looked Slade in the eye as he spoke. "I didn't come back to _stop_ you, Slade…"

Fixit's eyes flashed.

…

The machine on the parking ramp started to vibrate and the beam of light began spreading across the sky to the other portals where they would destroy the generators, leading to the world's downfall.

Suddenly, the ceiling on the last floor of the ramp lit up red, revealing countless X-shurikens that began to glow red and beep rapidly.

…

Everyone on the skyscraper except Red X turned in shock as the entire parking ramp exploded, destroying the structure. The red beam spreading through the sky disappeared as the device itself went up in flames.

Slade watched months of work burn to ashes before slowly turning to Red X.

"I came back to _beat_ you," Red X completed calmly. "That's part _one_."

Slade lunged forward with a cry of anger, throwing a right cross. Red X ducked under the blow and lashed out with a foot, kicking Slade back. Slade back-rolled and landed on his feet, drawing his 'S'-tipped staff and lunging again.

Red X blocked the blows as his wrist-blades appeared. The thief ducked under a horizontal stroke and locked his right wrist-blade with the staff as his left wrist-blade hooked into the 'S'-tip of Slade's weapon.

Both combatants grunted as Slade spun Red X around, their weapons still locked together.

Slade slowly pushed Red X to the edge of the roof. "You will _suffer_ for this," the commando promised angrily.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you…" Red X said, pushing them away from the edge of the roof. "That emotion can cloud precision on any job?"

Red X's left wrist-blade began to spin while still hooked into the 'S'-tip of Slade's staff. Red X retracted the right wrist-blade and let go of Slade's staff as his spinning wrist-blade picked up momentum and tore the staff from Slade's grip and sent the weapon falling over the side of the building.

Red X backflipped to dodge a punch from Slade and landed beside the Titans at the head of the 'V'. Starting from the back, Jinx and Beast Boy stood tall on the left with Fixit and Terra standing resolute on the right.

The sun dawned over the top of the building, illuminating the Teen Titans.

"Divided as you think we are," Fixit said to Slade, his eyes glowing blue as the Titans slowly walked forward. "We have one thing in common."

"You mess with our _home_ , our _planet_ , our _friends_ …" Jinx said, touching her lightning bolt necklace as her hands glowed.

"You mess with _us_ ," Terra completed, her eyes glowing as she put on her goggles.

"The only one alone here," Beast Boy said as he touched his belt with one hand. "Is _you_ , Slade."

"I've done my homework," Red X said, retracting his wrist-blade and grabbing two X-shurikens. "Five on one didn't work so well for you last time—"

"Enough!" Slade demanded.

The Titans charged.

Slade detached two explosives from his belt and threw them high into the air before jumping to the nearby skyscraper that was under construction.

Slade landed and turned to the skyscraper he'd just left as the explosives hit the roof next to the Titans, blowing out the last ten floors. When the smoke cleared the, Titans were gone.

A large shadow crossed over Slade and the incomplete skyscraper.

Slade looked up and saw that the source of the shadow was a gigantic floating platform of concrete created by Terra.

The Titans jumped down from the platform and landed on the building. Terra closed her fist and the platform began to shake, breaking it apart into tiny pieces that littered the top of the building with dust, dirt, and concrete.

"Give it up, Slade!" Beast Boy ordered. "It's over."

"It is far from over," Slade promised.

"And cue commandos," Jinx muttered under her breath.

In the blink of an eye, over a hundred commandos flew up onto the roof using their rocket-boots. While most landed on the metal scaffolding or on the roof itself, some hovered in the air. Seconds later, more commandos flew up to meet them, carrying large mechs.

The mechs had cylindrical legs, large, broad chests with a black 'X' across the middle as well as a red eye. The arms were gigantic and their hands resembled large pinchers. The commandos dropped the mechs onto the roof.

The Titans were surrounded.

Slade walked forward. "Now it is five against many."

"I've got one last thing to tell you," Red X said to Slade. He glanced at Fixit. "I didn't have time to get probes on the commandos. But I found the mechs."

Fixit's eyes flashed blue yet again and every single mech sparked with electricity and started to stagger with all but one falling from the roof.

"Isn't it amazing what one man can do when nobody thinks he's around?" Red X asked, glancing at the destroyed parking ramp and earning smiles from Beast Boy, Jinx, and Terra.

Slade looked around for a moment before retuning his gaze to the Titans, raising his hand. "This changes _nothing_ ," the commando whispered.

The commandos raised their weapons and Slade stepped back to observe the coming battle.

"Titans!" Red X called. He never broke eye contact with Slade. "Let 'em have it."

Jinx snapped her fingers and some of the dust left behind by Terra's platform rose into the air with a gust of wind. Terra raised her hands and morphed the dust into pointed stones, using them to take out numerous commandos.

Red X threw two X-shurikens into the air, shot Xenothium adhesive at them, and swung around in large arcs, using the rope and blades to take out a group of commandos before the ropes got caught in the scaffolding.

Red X released the adhesive as commandos flew above him and leveled their weapons. Red X quickly backflipped and unexpectedly landed on Beast Boy in the form of an elephant. Beast Boy looked up, nodding with his tusks before charging into a group of commandos as Red X started throwing more X-shurikens.

Terra took what X-shurikens didn't hit their mark and caught them in a large chunk of concrete. Terra then broke the concrete apart, allowing Fixit to hack into the trackers that Red X had on all his weapons to redirect the X-shurikens into more commandos himself.

As the commandos turned to Fixit, Terra slid under the other Titan's legs and threw multiple androids off the roof using large rocks. Fixit's eyes flashed again and he hacked into the remaining mech and sent it running past Terra to take on a large group of commandos.

Terra turned and found herself tackled roughly into the relative cover of the metal scaffolding by Jinx as a cluster of previously unseen flying commandos fired down at them. The blasts missed Terra by inches.

"Sorry," Jinx groaned, standing up and offering Terra a hand.

"It's fine," Terra promised, taking the hand rising to her feet. "Thanks."

The commandos landed and walk toward them.

Jinx looked up. "Get down!" she ordered.

Terra ducked as Jinx gathered as much energy as she could before grabbing the metal scaffolding. The metal began to glow pink and started to bend inward, shielding Terra and Jinx from more blaster shots.

Jinx let out a grunt of exertion and released the scaffolding. The scaffolding snapped apart and soared through the air, impaling the firing commandos as well as the mech that Fixit had hacked into.

The mech staggered a few feet from Terra and Jinx before it hunched over and began to shake and spark with electricity.

Terra quickly grabbed Jinx and they jumped off the roof as the mech exploded.

Terra's eyes glowed yellow.

They had only fallen one story before Terra was caught by Beast Boy in the form of a pteranodon as Jinx grabbed onto a flying commando that had been hacked by Fixit.

"Did you know they'd catch us?" Jinx asked Terra as they started to fly back up to the roof.

"No," Terra admitted as a large group of 'S'-shaped dropships containing more commandos appeared over the building.

The large rock Terra had summoned to catch herself and Jinx soared into the group of dropships. The rock impacted with one of the dropships and sent it into another as both vehicles went down in a ball of flame.

Jinx smiled, grabbed onto the legs of her commando, and pulled herself up onto its shoulders as it hovered just below the building. Jinx jumped again and kicked a commando to the ground, landing on the building next to Fixit.

Jinx ducked as Fixit spun around in a kick that took down a commando behind her before she blocked a punch aimed at Fixit, grabbed the commando's other arm, and turned it straight into the path of Fixit's palm.

Two more dropships flew past as the commandos fired down at the two Titans.

After they each rolled to a side, Fixit rose to his feet and threw one probe onto each dropship. Jinx sent pink rays of energy into the probes as they hacked the dropships, causing a systems failure, resulting in a massive explosion that sent the two ships down in flames.

The dropships crashed onto the roof, illuminating Beast Boy and Terra as they stood back to back, taking on a surrounding group of commandos. Beast Boy, in the form of a gorilla, grabbed a commando and swung it around, using the android as an improvised weapon.

Terra grabbed a large rock from the rubble with her powers and spun it around in a large circle, eliminating the entire group.

Beast Boy dropped the commando and exchanged a nod with Terra as yet another dropship flew overhead. Terra forged two large concrete spears from the ground for Beast Boy, who used his massive strength to throw the spears into the dropship. The dropship careened into a nearby building, showering Red X with small bits of dust and debris as he slowly started getting pushed back by his own batch of commandos.

Terra looked at Red X and then at Beast Boy. "Get me over there!" she ordered.

Beast Boy looked at Red X before turning to Terra. "Do I have to?" he asked.

Terra cocked an eyebrow.

Beast Boy sighed dramatically. He turned into a werebeast, grabbed Terra, and threw her high into the air and across the building.

Terra grabbed two firm, hand-sized stones using her powers and landed in a crouch before throwing the stones into two commandos that were closing in on Red X from either side.

Red X turned to Terra and glanced down.

Terra nodded as her hands began to glow. She grabbed a large piece of roof under them and created a platform, taking herself and Red X two stories into the air.

Red X grabbed another couple of explosives from his belt and shoved it into the rock under their feet. Terra and Red X jumped and landed on the roof simultaneously as the rock exploded, giving Terra enough projectiles to temporarily clear half the roof.

Beast Boy took a step back in surprise as the three commandos he was about to destroy came soaring past him with rocks embedded in their backs. The Titan turned and watched as the commandos soared past Fixit, who was in trouble. Beast Boy turned into a jaguar and tackled a commando that was moving up behind Fixit.

Ten more commandos moved in.

Fixit looked at Beast Boy and tossed him five probes. Beast Boy ran around the group of commandos, rapidly changing into different animals to the point of invisibility as he stealthily placed the probes on their backs. As Beast Boy slid to a stop beside Fixit, the cybernetic being's eyes flashed and the probes exploded, taking out the entire group of commandos.

Beast Boy and Fixit stepped back as Red X landed beside them. The three Titans turned to Slade.

Slade, seeming to see that the battle was not going to have the preferred outcome, turned and ran to the edge of the roof.

The Titans looked up as Terra soared overhead on a rock platform. She jumped down and landed in front of Slade, gathering what concrete debris was left on the roof and using it to create a vortex of shrapnel, blocking Slade's escape route.

The Titans glanced at Jinx who was dealing with a few stray commandos on the other side of the roof and then looked up as one last dropship swooped in overhead.

Red X looked at Fixit. "Is your prototype ready?"

Fixit smiled.

Red X grabbed two of his last three explosive X-shurikens and threw them up into the air in an arc as Fixit took a gold-colored probe from his cloak and threw it. The X-shurikens collided with one another and exploded. The probe reached the explosion and absorbed the blasts, sucking the orange, yellow, and red flames into its core.

Fixit's eyes flashed and the probes flew high into the air and hovered in front of the commandos on the dropship at eye level. A second later, the probe opened and a released the explosive energy in a cylindrical blast that blew the commandos off the dropship and to the streets below as the dropship itself slowly fell to the middle of the rooftop.

Slade leapt over Beast Boy and rolled across the dropship in an attempt to reach the safety of the next rooftop.

Fixit's eyes flashed and many of the fallen blasters on the rooftop rose and moved between Slade and escape before creating an impassible grid of laser fire. Fixit moved to stand in front of Slade.

The last of the commandos broke off into two groups. One went for Beast Boy, the other moved after Red X.

Red X turned and saw Jinx moving toward him from the other side of the roof. Red X used his adhesive to create a trampoline. Jinx propelled herself off the adhesive and flipped into the air as Red X placed his palms together and pulled them apart, creating a long, Xenothium staff before holding up his hands.

Jinx snapped her fingers again and the staff broke off Red X's gloves as the Xenothium solidified.

Red X jabbed left, then right with his staff, taking out two commandos before kneeling to the ground and thrusting his staff up horizontally to redirect the punches of two more commandos behind him.

Red X spun and swung his staff low, tripping the commandos before spinning and slashing once again, destroying the androids before they hit the ground. Red X turned and tossed the staff to Jinx, allowing the young woman to pole-vault over to Beast Boy.

Red X grabbed his last explosive and threw it past Slade. The explosive hit the edge of the roof and blew it apart, widening the gap to the next building. Slade skidded to a stop as his escape was prevented once again.

Red X flipped and landed in front of Slade, discharging the solid Xenothium from his gloves to allow further use of the adhesive.

Slade turned to the center of the roof as Beast Boy stood upon the fallen dropship in the form of a T-Rex.

The green Titan used his teeth to destroy three commandos, while simultaneously spinning with his tail. Beast Boy backed up as the remaining commandos started shooting at him.

Jinx hopped onto a rock platform provided by Terra and jumped off, landing on the T-Rex's neck and sliding down his tail before lashing out with her fists and knocking two commandos away.

Jinx quickly jumped off the dropship and spun in the air, sending pink energy into the control panel at the front of the vehicle. The entire dropship brimmed with power and rose into the air slightly.

Beast Boy turned into an ankylosaur, a large dinosaur with a back full of spikes that led down its long spiky tail. The dropship sparked again and began to spin rapidly. Beast Boy used his tail to behead the last of the robotic commandos as he spun along with the vehicle.

Beast Boy turned into a robin and flew away from dropship as Slade made a run for the last free side of the rooftop.

Jinx ran, slid under the spinning dropship, and sent a ray of energy into the engine, causing the ship to explode, engulfing the roof in smoke. When the smoke cleared, Jinx was standing between Slade and freedom.

Slade turned to the center of the roof as Beast Boy landed next to Red X and resumed his human form.

Slade slowly turned around, looking at each Titan in turn. "Don't think that this show changes anything," he said calmly, despite still searching for a way off the building. "We've been here before. You all know that you can't defeat _me_. Not as individuals. Not together. Not as… Titans."

Red X looked at Terra and Fixit.

Terra took her grid of shrapnel and reformed it into one large, solid piece of concrete. Fixit threw a probe into the concrete and the rock began to vibrate, allowing Terra to quickly disintegrate the rock into one large cloud of dust that she unleashed on Slade, blinding the villain.

Slade turned around as Xenothium adhesive appeared through the dust cloud, latching onto his leg and pulling him to a knee. Slade looked up as Jinx jumped through the smoke, her right leg glowing with pink energy.

Slade found himself on the ground as Jinx's blow hit its mark.

Slade stood and jumped up and over a rock thrown by Beast Boy who was in the form of a werebeast but received a blow from behind as Terra redirected the rock into the commando's back.

Slade stood yet again as the Titans regrouped and stood in a 'V' with Red X at the head.

Slade drew one of his last two explosives from his belt and threw it at the Titans.

Fixit stepped forward and shot one of his hands out of its socket to catch the explosive just as it left Slade's hand, causing it to detonate directly in front of the villain, blowing him off his feet.

Fixit smiled somewhat as a new hand materialized from the socket in his arm to replace the old.

Jinx ran forward and threw another left punch only to have her fist grabbed by Slade. Jinx smiled and gracefully ran up Slade's chest before twisting her hand out of his grasp and kicking off his arm. Jinx, while upside down in midair, sent a ray of energy in Slade's direction. The pink energy hit the last explosive on Slade's belt and blew the commando back yet again.

Slade rose to a knee and watched Terra levitate herself on a platform as Beast Boy charged at him in the form of a rhinoceros. Slade spun to the side and grabbed the rhino's horn, attempting to turn and throw the animal to the ground.

Beast Boy quickly turned into an ape and reversed the hold, now grasping Slade's hand, and threw the commando to the ground yet again.

Slade was barely on his knee when Terra soared toward him, backflipping off the platform, breaking it apart, and sending the projectiles into Slade's chest before landing on both feet. The blow sent Slade closer to the edge of the roof.

Red X jumped into the air and lashed out with a kick. Slade dodged the blow and Red X landed behind the commando, throwing a right cross. Slade ducked out of the way and received a follow-up left cross from that sent him to a knee before Red X spun and unleashed a right uppercut.

Slade hit the ground one last time, rolling to the very edge of the building, his detached mask and belt sliding to a stop a few feet away.

Slade groaned in pain and turned on his hands and knees with his back to the Titans, his dirty grey hair sticking out at one side.

The Titans slowly moved forward with Beast Boy grabbing the belt.

After a few seconds, Red X kicked the mask over to Slade.

Slade slowly grabbed the mask and put it on before turning and facing the Teen Titans while still on his knees.

Red X spun and kicked Slade off the roof. Red X then jumped off the roof after the falling commando, using his Xenothium adhesive to wrap Slade in midair before pasting the villain to the side of the building.

Red X flipped in midair and shot Xenothium onto the side of the building, lowering himself safely to the ground as the entire street lit up with red and blue lights originating from numerous police vehicles.

The uniformed and masked officers exited the vehicles, drew their weapons, and pointed them not at the incapacitated Slade, but to the young man who was, in their eyes, a known thief and traitor to the Teen Titans, Jump City, and Earth.

Red X kept his hands at his sides as Terra, Jinx, and Fixit hopped off a stone platform before Beast Boy, in the form of a raven landed in front of Red X.

The Titans stood between Red X and the authorities of Jump City.

Everyone on the street froze.

"Stand down!" a man ordered loudly.

The man who spoke stepped forward, silhouetted by the police lights flaring behind him.

The Titans didn't move.

"Officers!" the man said louder. He pointed to Slade. "The threat has abated! Slade is now in our custody, thanks to the work of our young Titans. Now. Stand. _Down!"_

"Yes, Mr. Mayor! All units, stand down!" a female officer said as the entire group of officers lowered their weapons and moved past the Titans to grab Slade who made no attempt to resist as he was cut out of the Xenothium. "Prep transport for the prisoner."

"I must admit," the Mayor said, looking at Red X. "When you started contacting me the night you returned from Markovia, I was a bit skeptical of your plan and your _borrowing_ of more Xenothium the other night."

Red X locked eyes with Slade as the villain was carted into a nearby police vehicle.

"But I must commend your perceptive abilities," the Mayor continued with admiration. "And the abilities of your team."

The door on the police vehicle closed.

"As such, your actions during the Xenothium heist earlier this week shall be pardoned," the Mayor promised. "And just as Robin proposed weeks ago, the illegal actions committed in your past will also be stricken from record provided you stay out of trouble from this point forth."

"Good luck with that," Jinx muttered under her breath as she looked at Red X.

"Now," the Mayor said cheerfully, placing his hands together. "If you would be so kind, my young Titans, I would ask that you please assist our police force in escorting Slade to prison and oversee his accommodations."

An hour later, the Titans stood in a large, empty square room with dark walls. In the center of the room was a small cell. The cell contained steel walls, a bed, a toilet, a sink, a plexiglass mirror, and a steel door.

The steel door contained a keypad that required three different codes to access it as well as a laser grid that would continuously block doorway. On top of the cell was a laser-protected slot that would only open for a millisecond in order for a machine to provide food to Slade twice a day at random.

Slade was walked into the cell where his mask would finally be removed.

Once inside, Slade turned and looked at the Titans. "You may have one the battle today, Titans," he said. "But you are naïve if you think that this is over."

"That coming from the man in the cell," Jinx said, drawing Slade's gaze.

"You will never be anything more than a hero who didn't have the resolve to be a great villain," Slade admonished.

Jinx smiled slightly and nodded before turning way. "I'll send the Headmistress your regards."

Jinx walked out of the room, pressing down on her lightning bolt necklace.

"It seems that psychological warfare is no longer your greatest weapon," Fixit said to Slade.

Slade glanced at Fixit. "You say that as if psychological warfare were even possible with one who is not human."

"I _am_ human," Fixit said. He looked at his hands before turning away as well. "And, for now, I am _also_ machine."

"And what do you have to say about me?" Terra asked Slade.

"Your true potential is and always shall be wasted with the Titans," Slade promised.

"So, I _am_ a Titan, now," Terra said as she nodded and stepped toward Slade. "Because according to you in Markovia, I was _nothing_. I guess things change."

Terra turned and grabbed Beast Boy's shoulder, moving to walk them out.

"Your previous teams have left you," Slade called out to Beast Boy. "Do you honestly think this team will remain now that I am, as your Mayor said, in custody?"

"Yes," Beast Boy answered, not even looking over his shoulder. "I do."

Beast Boy and Terra walked out without another word.

Red X looked Slade in the eye for a moment before turning away as well, his cape fluttering.

"Do you not wish to see the face of the man you believe to have beaten?" Slade asked Red X.

"It doesn't matter who you are," Red X said. He slowly turned back to Slade. "There's only one thing that matters."

"And what is that?" Slade asked.

Red X grunted and slowly walked toward Slade, folding his arms.

The two guards around Slade stepped back.

"You're going to get out of here," Red X said simply.

Slade did not avert his gaze.

" _I_ know it," Red X said with certainty.

Slade remained silent.

" _You_ know it," Red X continued. He looked at one of the many cameras on the walls surrounding them. " _They_ know it."

"And?" Slade pressed.

"And you should know that I'll be waiting when you get out," Red X promised.

Slade made no reply.

Red X nodded to the two guards and turned, walking toward the door.

"And will you be awaiting my return as an adversary?" Slade asked. "Or a rival?"

Red X didn't answer and walked out the door as the guards reached out to remove Slade's mask.

Red X exited the large stone prison as the Titans stood in a circle, talking quietly.

Beast Boy walked up to Red X and offered a hand. "I was wrong about you," the green Titan said quietly. "You really are all Robin said you could be."

Red X hesitated a moment before clasping the hand.

Beast Boy shook the hand firmly before his Titans Communicator chimed and we walked off to the side.

Red X moved aside as a small group of policemen walked past, not paying any attention to Red X whatsoever.

Red X stared at the officers as they entered the prison. _That's different._

Beast Boy returned to the rest of the group. "Hey! Guys!"

The Titans turned to Beast Boy.

Red X remained off to the side and folded his arms again.

"I just got word," Beast Boy said. His face broke into a broad smile. "The attacks on the other Towers failed, the Gordanians are retreating, and we've started calling everyone home!"

The Titans let out sighs of relief before starting to give each other high fives and hugs.

Beast Boy turned to Red X.

Red X gave Beast Boy a nod of respect.

"I also have good news," Fixit said as Red X moved forward. "My creations have completed their initial scans of Slade's destroyed device. I believe that, with Raven's assistance, I can recreate the machine to shut down the portals once all our allies have returned to Earth."

"Looks like your boyfriend's coming home," Terra said to Jinx with a smile.

"I guess so," Jinx said, smiling in return. She looked around. "What about you guys? Are you ready to go home and sleep or… Party?"

"I vote party!" Beast Boy said excitedly.

"Party," Terra confirmed.

"I will not require a system charge for another ten hours," Fixit said. "I would like to experience this… party."

"The sooner I get away from the prison," Red X said, glancing over his shoulder. "The happier I'll be."

It was seven in the morning by the time the Titans and Red X returned to Titans Tower and placed Slade's belt safely inside the vault. They were currently lounging on the couch with Jinx and Fixit each taking an end while Terra and Beast Boy sat in the middle.

Red X walked into the room with two boxes in his hand.

"Nice plan," Beast Boy called to Red X.

Red X didn't reply as he placed the boxes on the table.

Beast Boy leaned forward. "But how did you know that going after Terra would get me to attack you earlier?"

"I must say it was also wise to neglect having your Communicator when I was showing the Titans my new inventions," Fixit added.

"I figured that Slade didn't need to know about those," Red X said to Fixit. He looked at Beast Boy. "As for you and Terra… friends that are as close as you tend to look out for each other."

"Is that what we are to you, now?" Terra asked Red X. "Friends?"

Red X ignored the question. "And that 'fight' you had with me earlier," he said, raising his voice to get Jinx and Fixit's attention as well. "Even though I was holding back, I won _way_ too easily. So, effective immediately, we amp up training by another hour each day."

"Duuude," Beast Boy groaned, earning a smile from Terra. "That's so not cool. We're tired enough as it is. And we just saved the world… again!"

"But for now," Red X said, ignoring Beast Boy. He flipped open the lid on the boxes to reveal two pizzas. One was full of meat. The other was half vegetarian, half anchovies. Red X quickly cut the pizzas using his Xenothium wrist-blades before stepping back. "Eat up, Titans."

The Titans all smiled and dug in.

Terra took a large bite of her anchovy pizza.

Beast Boy held up a finger. "Umm… aren't you allergic?"

Terra's eyes widened and she slowly gulped. After a few seconds, she sighed in relief. "Not anymore, I guess."

"Huh," Jinx said taking a bite of her own pizza. "Well, you didn't have powers until a few weeks ago either."

Terra looked at Fixit.

"I have no explanation myself," Fixit said.

"Fixit," Beast Boy said through a mouthful of food. "You gotta try pizzas. I recommend the vegetarian."

"I cannot consume pizza," Fixit said simply as he gave Silkie a piece of pizza as the larva slid up onto the couch. "However, I would not object to taste testing. Perhaps I should create a blueprint for artificial taste buds after recharging later."

Jinx smiled and joined Red X at the window, offering him a slice of meat pizza.

Red X took the slice.

"Sooo…." Jinx said casually. "You bought us pizza, huh? Sounds kinda like something a good leader and/or friend would do."

"I'm just playing the part," Red X promised.

"Riiiiggght."

Red X looked out the window at the city. "There will always be more Slade's. More people to take down."

Jinx shrugged. "Eh. What fun would life be without 'em?"

"And this team can handle it," Red X said, turning to Jinx. "As for me… I'm still not much of a team player."

"Are you staying?" Jinx asked.

Red X grunted. "What choice do I have?" he asked, motioning to his mask. "I still have the tracker."

Jinx smiled slightly and placed a glowing finger against Red X's mask. There was a small flash of pink and the nanoscopic tracker fell from the mask, sparking in the air before disappearing.

Red X tipped his head in confusion.

Jinx handed him a small chip to place into his belt as well as a new Titans Communicator.

"What's this?" Red X asked, looking at the chip and Communicator in his hand.

"An act of faith," Jinx answered.

Red X placed the chip in his belt, realizing that it would allow him to teleport and turn invisible.

Red X turned toward the window again. "There's no such thing as faith. We make things happen or they don't happen," he said. "Hoping is pointless. _We_ control our own destinies."

"Yeah," Jinx said, speaking as she walked back to the couch. "We do. Don't we, X?"

On the couch, Terra placed a hand on Beast Boy's as he swallowed a large piece of pizza. "I um…" Terra hesitated, lowering her voice. "There's one memory I haven't seen yet. I started it, but…"

"What was it?" Beast Boy asked.

"You and I were going on a date at a carnival," Terra said. She looked away. "I felt guilty watching it."

"Don't," Beast Boy said firmly. "You don't have anything to feel guilty about."

Terra smiled. "I was um… I was thinking that you and I could do it sometime. For real."

Beast Boy smiled as well.

Red X tipped up his mask slightly to take a bite of pizza.

Fixit stroked Silkie's back.

Jinx touched her necklace again.

Terra and Beast Boy leaned in for a kiss.

Suddenly, alarms started blaring throughout the Tower.

The central monitor lit up, showing the Titans that there was trouble in the city.

Jinx and Fixit stood and moved toward the door.

Beast Boy looked up at the ceiling with his hands in the air, silently cursing the alarms for ruining what was about to be a moment.

Terra giggled and gave a steaming Beast Boy a kiss on the cheek before grabbing his hand. "Let's rock."

Beast Boy and Terra ran out the door together with Silkie sliding out of the room behind them.

Red X was left alone in the living room. He glanced at the Titans Communicator in his hand.

A few seconds later, he jumped out the window, turning invisible just before he teleported away.

…

In the middle of Jump City, there was a boy who stood outside a local television store watching continuous news reels about the Titans who had saved the world that very morning. The little boy smiled, recognizing each of the Titans by name.

` The boy stepped back as a man with spiky black hair, a goatee, and glasses wearing a blue t-shirt with a white stripe as well as black pants and brown shoes walked out the door with a blonde woman in a blue sweatshirt, black skirt, and shoes.

Once the couple was gone, the boy returned to the window.

Suddenly two red eyes appeared in the brick wall next to the window. Seconds later, a large white body with broad feet, legs, arms, and hands, materialized from the wall. There were two thin black lines on the side of the being near its arms and several connected lines that started at the top of its chest and reached down to its waist.

Its face was ovular with two black smudges on its forehead and chin as well as a smudge under each red eye.

The White Monster stepped forward onto the concrete and his body turned to the color of the ground.

The White Monster looked down at the small child and raised a fist.

The boy found himself yanked back and out of the way before being placed back on his feet. The boy quickly ran to the cover of a nearby car before turning and finding that his rescuer had been none other than Fixit.

The Titan stared the white behemoth down as his eyes flashed blue and two probes floated out of his robes.

There was a flash of pink hair and Jinx cartwheeled up and over the car in front of the boy to land next to Fixit.

The boy looked up as the sun was momentarily blocked out as Terra flew overhead on a rock platform and she hopped down just in front of Fixit.

The boy glanced at the roof of the television store as a green tiger jumped over the White Monster and landed just in front of Jinx.

Beast Boy resumed his human form.

The White Monster growled upon seeing the Titan and the little boy gasped, anticipating the excitement that was sure to come.

Suddenly, a caped hero dressed in black materialized out of the air, standing in front of the Titans as a dove flew out of the alley and past the hero's chest.

Red X became the point in the 'V' that the Titans created as their Titans Communicators gleamed in the sunlight.

The Teen Titans had arrived to save the day…

 ** _Teen Titans Dawn_**

Dedicated to C-n-C

A True Titan whose inner light and imagination burned bright beyond his age


End file.
